


Leo and Annabeth: The Story they Deserve

by schottthelion



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Character Development, F/M, May/December Relationship, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 30,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schottthelion/pseuds/schottthelion
Summary: Reimagines Leo and Annabeth's relationship from the "tension" conversation forward. Alternate universe where no one dies.Banter. Sex. Character development.
Relationships: Leo McGarry/Annabeth Schott
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	1. The Dance

Morning after tension conversation –

(Knock at Leo's hotel room door)

"Come on in!"

Annabeth walks in at her usual speed. She rearranges papers on the table, and puts down the flowers she has brought in. She goes into the bathroom to fill up a vase with water.

"Good morning!" Leo speaks loudly, drawing attention to the fact that Annabeth has not said anything since she walked in the room.

Annabeth sticks her head out from the bathroom while the water runs in the background.

"Morning!"

It's her usual cheery tone, and Leo looks relieved.

He walks toward the bathroom just as Annabeth walks out. They run into each other and some of the water from the vase splashes onto both of them.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

Annabeth smiles. "It's water. We'll survive."

She reaches back and grabs the towel from the bathroom sink and blots her blouse. She looks up and sees Leo watching her blot her cleavage. They lock eyes for a quick moment and then both look away

"Is your shirt ok?" She hands Leo the towel.

"It's fine. Should we get started?"

Annabeth grabs her binder from the table. "We have a half hour before the car arrives. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Nothing at this hotel qualifies as breakfast. I had coffee."

Annabeth glares at him, "Leo! You have to take care of yourself!"

"Taking care of me seems to have been outsourced. Do you know how many people I have telling me how to take care of myself? Abbey's called me nearly every day to see if I've committed a cardinal sin, like eating steak."

"If you're trying to make me feel sorry for you by highlighting how many people care about you, it's not working."

Leo's phone rings. It's Josh.

Leo listens for a minute and then cuts Josh off. "It's Ellie Bartlett's wedding. Of course I am going to be there. It's not negotiable." He pauses and glances at Annabeth who is reading through the binder. His eyes soften. "Yeah, she's going too. We'll figure it out. I'll see you in DC."

He hangs up. Annabeth starts to hum Mendelssohn's wedding march as she gathers the binder and other papers off the table, and hands Leo his jacket. Leo starts for the door. Annabeth is right behind him, humming more loudly. Leo smiles and shakes his head.

Ellie's Wedding

Leo is dancing with Abbey when Jed appears.

"Hands off my wife, old man."

Leo laughs and lets go of Abbey.

"I was a poor substitute anyway…"

He looks at Jed, "Everything ok?"

Jed nods and takes Abbey's hand. "May I?"

Jed and Abbey dance away and Leo walks to the bar.

Annabeth is standing next to Josh, who looks stricken. They are both watching Matt Santos talking to DNC leadership in the corner opposite. Leo approaches them.

"Annabeth. Josh."

Josh doesn't take his eyes off Santos. "Hey, Leo."

Annabeth looks Leo up and down. "You look exceptionally handsome this evening, Mr. McGarry."

Leo makes a face, but is clearly pleased.

He nods towards the bar Annabeth is standing next to, "You've obviously been standing here too long."

Annabeth lifts up her glass, "Water. On the rocks. I'm as sober as a church warden on Sunday morning."

Leo smiles, but turns to face the dance floor and not Annabeth as he does.

Donna joins them. She watches Josh watch Santos.

Leo looks at Donna and Josh, "It's a party ladies and gentlemen. You should dance."

He reaches for Annabeth's hand and leads her on to the dance floor.

"I don't think Josh is having a very good time, Leo."

"He'll survive."

"Will his job?"

"It's six weeks until the election. Everyone gets nervous. It's what happens. But you dance with the one that brung ya."

He pulls Annabeth a bit closer.

She smiles, "Is that why you're dancing with me?"

Leo looks at her, smirks, pulls her closer, and puts his mouth right next to her ear.

"No."

The music ends. Leo lets go of Annabeth and walks away as she puts her hand out to steady herself on a chair.


	2. Guest rooms and Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth ends up in Leo's house

The next day – in the car on the way to a campaign stop in Maryland

Leo is on the phone. Annabeth is sitting next to him, making notes on a clipboard. Leo reaches over her to grab a water bottle from the seat. He brushes his hand against hers as he shifts back to his seat.

He smiles into the phone, "Yeah, another grip and grin. I think I can handle it." He laughs. "Yeah, we'll see you there, Rob. Looking forward to it."

Leo hangs up the phone and leans back against his seat.

Annabeth reaches out and lightly raps his knuckles. "You didn't tell me you were a 'sweep-a-girl-off-her-feet-dance-partner' on top of everything else."

Leo answers sarcastically, as if Annabeth is being ridiculous, "Yeah, must have slipped my mind…" He pauses for a second. "On top of what else?"

"I've told you before, McGarry. Gorgeous."

Leo looks over at her, trying to gauge her tone.

He smiles out the car window. "You concern me"

The car stops. Annabeth and Leo exit on their separate sides. Leo is buttoning his jacket as Annabeth comes around the back of the car, carrying her clipboard.

"You're being introduced by Congressman Jenkins. You do the three minute stump, photo with the Congressman, and we're back in the car."

She reaches up and smoothes the hair against his temple. He catches her hand as it comes down and holds it for a second or two at his side. He lets go. She looks down, and he looks away.

Congressman Jenkins' aide walks towards them, "Mr. McGarry!"

He ushers Leo over to the steps up to the dais.

Hotel somewhere in northern Virginia at the end of another very long day. Josh, Donna, Lou, Annabeth and other campaign staff are sitting in the lobby, bags strewn around.

Josh rubs his face, "Someone wake me up when they figure out our rooms. I'm just gonna pass out here." He balls up his jacket and lies down across the chair next to him.

Donna turns to Josh, "Where's the Congressman?"

"He's upstairs. We gave him the room that was actually ready."

Donna turns to Annabeth, "And Leo?"

"He's back in DC at his place. He's got the fundraiser tomorrow. He's not coming with us to Philly. Didn't make sense for him to be here when he could sleep in his own bed."

Donna slumps in her chair, "Doesn't make sense for any of us to be here when there are no beds."

Annabeth looks down at her phone and walks away to take the call.

"Leo. Why are you still awake?"

"I could ask you the same question"

Annabeth sighs, "We're having some hotel issues. No room at the inn."

"So come here."

"You want me to walk out of this hotel, past the assembled campaign staff and your secret service agents, to join you at your place in the middle of the night?"

"I have a guest room, Annabeth."

"I am sure that reassures everyone who is intimately familiar with the layout of your home – and none of the people I just mentioned."

"I cannot sleep knowing that you are lying on a chair in some hotel lobby. Tell whatever staff members are still awake and semi-lucid that you're headed back to DC. If they think anything, it will be thoughts of gratitude that there's now one less person to get a room before them."

Annabeth takes a deep breath, "Your guest room?"

"My guest room. And decent coffee in the morning."

Annabeth looks at her watch and glances back at the campaign staff, all in various states of unconsciousness

"Okay. I'm coming."

She hangs up the phone, writes a note, sticks it in Donna's sleeping hand and walks out of the lobby

She walks in the door of Leo's house as he walks down the staircase. He's wearing corduroys and a crewneck sweater. He looks relaxed.

"Leo. You didn't need to wait up"

"Yeah? You were going to find the guest room by yourself? Secret Service loves when people stumble around my house under cover of darkness."

"I'm tired enough to sleep in your hallway."

Leo walks up to her, grabs her bag and gently nudges her towards the staircase. She follows him up the stairs.

They reach the guest room. Leo nods towards the door.

"Everything you need should be in there. I'll see you in the morning."

Annabeth, with eyes half closed, kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you, Leo"

Annabeth stumbles into the room. Leo closes the door as she crosses the threshold. He stands there for a beat or two, staring at the closed door. He turns to go, takes a few steps down the hall, and then turns back. He walks back to Annabeth's door and puts his hand up as if to knock or turn the doorknob. He stops himself, turns and walks to his room. He switches off the hall light as he goes.

The next morning

Annabeth wakes up, looks around her and is confused for a moment. She remembers where she is and grabs for the clock on the bedside table. It's 10am. She has not slept this late since the campaign started. Panicked, she grabs all of her clothes from the floor and rushes into the bathroom.

When she walks downstairs, having showered and gotten dressed, she steps carefully off the staircase. She calls Leo's name.

"In the kitchen!"

She follows the sound of his voice.

Leo is sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee. He's again dressed casually, corduroys and a crewneck sweater with leather moccasins.

Leo smiles as she walks in the room, "Good morning, Sunshine."

"Leo, we are supposed to be places right now!"

"Relax. It's Sunday and we are not supposed to be anywhere."

"We don't have weekends." Her voice rises. "There are no weekends! Where's my bag?" 

"Your bag is in the front hall, where you left it last night. Your suitcase is upstairs, where I brought it last night. We're fine. One of the few perks of having a heart attack is you get days off now and then. And one of the few perks of working for a guy who has had a heart attack is you get days off now and then, too. Now, sit down."

Annabeth stands there for a minute, and then smiles. "I was promised decent coffee"

"And decent coffee you shall have."

Leo brings a cup of coffee over to the table. Annabeth glances around the kitchen as Leo hands her the mug

"Milk is in the fridge. I'm out of sugar, but you don't take it anyway"

Annabeth looks surprised. Leo knows how she takes her coffee. She takes a sip and sighs contentedly.

"This is nice, Annabeth."

"The coffee?"

"You. Here."

The phone rings. Leo grabs it off the table and walks out of the kitchen. While he is gone, Annabeth anxiously fingers her earrings. She gets up, brings her cup over to the sink and stares out the window, looking at the Secret Service agents in Leo's backyard. She stretches her neck and flexes her hands against the sink edge. Leo walks back into the kitchen.

"Sorry, had to take that"

"Of course."

"You hungry?"

"No. I should go."

"You shouldn't."

Annabeth exhales audibly, "Leo. It's best if I go"

"Because of the tension?"

Annabeth looks up, surprised. She smiles a little. "What tension?"

Leo smirks. "Yeah, I guess I did ask that"

"Are you still asking that?"

"No. I'm not. I'm not even sure why I asked it then."

"Which seems like more of a reason for me to go."

"Could we sit down, Annabeth? I feel like I'm making a presentation."

Annabeth sits back down at the table. Leo pulls his chair so that he is sitting right in front of her, their knees touching. He starts to speak and Annabeth cuts him off. She puts her hand on his mouth and then leans forward and rests her hands on either side of his face.

"Leo. Don't say anything. If you say nothing and I leave this room, grab my bags, get back in a cab and rejoin the campaign team at the world's lousiest hotel, where guests sleep on chairs and drink unspeakably bad coffee, then we keep going. We keep going, and you become the Vice President of the United States, and I will have had a hand in that. I love my job, Leo. I could not have imagined that this would be my life when I graduated college with a degree in art history, and the limited expectations everyone in my family had for me. But, here I am. With you. And I really want you to win this thing."

Leo puts his hands on top of hers, still holding his face. "Can I just…"

"No. Because I know you really want to win this thing, too. Leo McGarry does not start fights that he does not win. That's not who you are, Leo. You are pure drive and achievement. And that's why you are going to be the next Vice President of the United States."

Annabeth stops and she and Leo just look at each other for a few seconds. He lowers his hands and hers. Their intertwined hands sit between them, resting on their knees.

"And that is why I am going to leave now. We are not people who put ourselves ahead of the work. We aren't going to start being those people now."

Annabeth stands up, lets go of Leo's hands, and walks out of the kitchen. Leo remains at the table, looking defeated. He can hear her walk upstairs, gather her things, and then the sound of the front door closing. He doesn't move.


	3. Debate Prep Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's debate prep is going badly, and Annabeth provides some much needed help

"Donna!"

Donna walks into Josh's office. "You are aware that I no longer work outside your office door?"

"And yet here you are."

Donna sighs, "What do you want, Josh?"

"I need you to find Annabeth. Leo's drowning and I need her to fix it." He gestures towards the TV in his office where tape of Leo's debate prep is running

Donna picks up her phone. 

"Annabeth? Hi. It's Donna. Josh needs you to teach Leo how to swim. Or maybe buy him water wings. He wasn't very clear."

Josh throws the ball he has been holding at Donna as she turns to walk out of his office.

A short time later... Annabeth smiles at Leo's Secret Service agent as he opens the door to Leo's hotel room.

Leo is walking around the room, staring at the floor.

"Everything ok, Leo? The nervous pacing is new."

"It's actually not, but in this case I am looking for my cufflink." He holds up his wrist to show her the empty cuff

Annabeth starts walking around, too, searching the floor. Leo's phone rings.

"Hey CJ…yeah, I'm fine…I'm actually looking for a cufflink. No! Wait! Annabeth found it. I knew I had dropped it!"

CJ moves the phone to her other ear, "I imagine finding things on the floor is a particular skill for someone who is two feet tall. Now, Leo, listen. The President can't do the event Josh asked him for. You know that."

"Yeah"

"Ok. You'll tell Josh?"

"Yeah"

"Good. Ok. How you doing?"

Leo watches Annabeth take his wrist and start looping the cufflink through his cuff. "You ever wondered what would happen if we got everything we wanted, CJ?"

"No. I try not to think about that, Leo. Because I would have to murder many people in order to get what I want." She is staring at Margaret, hovering in her doorway with an unusually large fruit basket and Lord John Marbury. "I'll let the President & Abbey know that your newly secured cuff has brought you unusual fulfillment."

Leo smiles and hangs up as Annabeth smoothes the cuff she has just finished linking.

"Debate prep?"

"Debate prep. Are you ready?" Annabeth walks over to the table

"Am I ready to take direction on my face, my posture, my tone, my gestures, my shirt, my hair and my tie? No."

"Well, that doesn't leave me much to work with"

Leo scoffs. "How about the actual words I say? You know, the content of my answers"

"Well, that's terrible, too, but I was going to start with your face, your posture, your tone, your gestures, your shirt, tie and hair."

"Don't forget the botox."

"It's make-up, Leo, and it's your best friend on TV."

"It's make up. Not a time machine."

Annabeth puts her hand on Leo's low back and steers him over to the mirror. "Look at your mouth. See that? That is a smirk. You are smirking. And it's our first order of business."

"That's my face. It's how my mouth forms. And it's more of a scowl. Which, admittedly, is probably also not great"

"It's a smirk. You are a smirker. In the right context, your smirk is confident…commanding… even devastatingly sexy."

Leo turns away from the mirror and faces Annabeth, "Sexy?"

"In the right context."

"And that context is not a vice presidential debate."

"It is not."

Leo retreats to the couch, and picks up the notes Annabeth brought in the room. "Alright, Sunshine, I'm all yours. Let's get started."

Debate Day

Leo has told Josh that he's taking the day off. He doesn't want to "leave it in the locker room." Josh is panicked and has sent Annabeth to Leo's hotel to get him to practice.

(knock on Leo's door)

"It's Annabeth"

"Come on in!"

Annabeth walks in to find Leo lying on the couch, watching a movie. They are both dressed casually – Annabeth in jeans and a white shirt

"There's really no need to use your name when you announce yourself. I know no one else who sounds like Scarlett O'Hara on helium"

"Bold words from a man lying defenseless on a couch." She walks over, sweeps his feet off the couch and sits down. "What are we watching?"

"Gone with the Wind"

Annabeth smacks his leg with her hand. He sits up, but does not move away from her.

"It's African Queen."

"You thought a movie about narrowly escaping certain death only to be nearly executed was a good choice before tonight's debate?"

"It seemed relevant." Leo switches off the TV and sits up straighter. "But, you are not here to watch a movie. A panicked and sweaty Josh Lyman sent you to prep me."

Annabeth turns the TV back on, "Yep"

"So why are you turning the TV back on?

"Because I am neither panicked nor sweaty. You are going to own that stage tonight. You are brilliant and fearless."

She casts a sidelong glance at him. "And did I mention devastatingly sexy?"

She looks back at the TV. "So, do you want to watch Hepburn and Bogart defy the odds with me?"

Leo has fully turned his body and is staring at Annabeth as she looks at the TV. His expression shifts from stunned to a huge smile. Annabeth turns her head just enough to meet Leo's eyes and then she turns back to the TV.

Annabeth and Leo are on the couch. Leo has his legs stretched out in front of him on a coffee table and is turned slightly against the end of the couch. Annabeth has her legs stretched out on the couch and has her back half turned to Leo, shoulder against the back of the couch. They are close, but not touching.

The movie has just ended.

"Watching Katharine Hepburn always makes me want to throw away all my clothes and start over."

Leo stands up. "Great. Your suitcase will be lighter"

"Lauren Bacall followed Bogey to Africa while they filmed."

Leo walks towards the table with papers scattered across it, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Do you think romance is dead, Leo?"

Leo has his back turned to her, "I'm pretty sure Bogart's dead."

There's a knock at the door and Josh walks in.

"Hey."

"Hey ,Josh"

Josh looks around nervously, "You guys been getting ready?"

Leo looks up from the table, "Yeah"

Annabeth stands up, "He's ready."

"Ok, so…everybody's feeling good?"

Leo takes off his glasses, "Yeah"

"Good. That's good." Josh puts his backpack over his other shoulder. "You guys hungry? There's food in the conference room. We could look over some notes. I've got, you know, notes."

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna finish getting ready here." Leo returns to the papers on the table. "The car's picking me up?"

"Yeah, we'll see you over there"

Josh starts to walk out. Annabeth follows him, digging around in her bag.

"Josh, hold on. I left my phone."

"Yeah, ok. I'll just meet you in the room. There's sandwiches or something. Do you think there's alcohol? There should maybe be alcohol… " His voice tails off as he continues down the hall.

Annabeth walks back past Secret Service who open the door.

"Leo! I forgot my phone!"

Leo is on his phone, but nods towards the couch.

Annabeth walks over, grabs her phone, touches Leo's shoulder as she walks out. He puts his hand over the phone

"Hey"

Annabeth turns with her hand on the door

"It's not dead."

Annabeth smiles and walks out.


	4. Mama Told Me There'd Be Days Like This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the VP debate, Leo find out it's Annabeth's birthday.

Post-Debate

Everyone is crowding around Leo as he exits the stage. He's shaking hands, getting compliments, he's thanking everyone.

Annabeth is standing a few feet away.

"Leo Thomas McGarry!" She throws her arms around him.

She lets go before he has a chance to really respond and grabs his arm to continue down the hall.

"You were amazing, Leo!"

"It's not difficult to exceed the lowest possible expectations."

"The man cannot take a compliment!"

Ronna walks past them in the other direction, - "You guys coming to the drinks thing?"

Leo looks over his shoulder, "Yeah, I just gotta get the make-up scraped off."

Annabeth and Ronna turn back, and Leo continues down the hall.

The campaign staff are all gathered in the hotel bar. Leo walks in.

Josh sees Leo and announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, the man of the hour!"

There's cheering, back slapping, clapping.

Leo addresses the room, "Drinks are on me, everyone!"

More cheering and clapping.

Josh grabs Leo, "I could kiss you!"

"Yeah, no"

Josh lets go, "Right"

Donna spins her bar stool to face them, "Josh was worried."

Josh stares at her, "Donna!"

"What? You were! I always had faith in you Leo, even when Josh had…what'd you say, Josh? 'spinning iron core in the planet low' expectations?"

"You know I can fire you?" He turns to block Donna from view, "Leo…I knew you'd be great"

"Yeah…drinks are on me for everyone but you…You seen Annabeth?"

Josh looks around the room - "Yeah, she was just…she was over there a second ago." He gestures towards a set of glass doors leading out onto a patio. "Did you know it's her birthday?"

Leo looks back at Josh - "Annabeth's?"

"Yeah."

"No, I didn't know."

"Yeah. I guess she didn't really tell anyone." He raises his voice so Donna can hear, "but, Donna's pretty much the Stasi, so she knew."

"Okay"

Leo walks past staffers – a few shake his hand – and makes his way out onto the patio.

"Hey," he walks over to Annabeth and stands next to her.

"Leo!" She leans into him. "This was a great night for you!"

"Yeah."

He sits down on a low wall bordering the patio. Annabeth sits down next to him. They both look out into a small garden, white Christmas lights dangling from a big gazebo. 

"Today was your birthday?"

"Yeah"

"I didn't know."

Annabeth smiles at him, "Absolutely no reason why you should, Leo"

"Not much of a birthday."

Annabeth turns to him, "Are you kidding? This has been a wonderful birthday!"

"Have your other birthdays been celebrated in war zones?"

Annabeth ignores him and looks up at the sky, "Do you make wishes on your birthdays, Leo?"

"No."

"I do."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Your dismissive cynicism is noted, but I think it's nice to mark the day you arrived on this planet with some thought to what you might want to get out of it."

"Has it worked?"

"Has it worked?" Annabeth looks confused.

"Have you gotten what you wanted?"

"Oh," she smiles. "Almost…yeah." 

"I wish I had known it was your birthday."

"It's still my birthday for another..." She looks at her watch. "...three minutes."

Leo reaches for her hand and stands up, gently pulling Annabeth up with him. Music is audible through the open doors from the bar. It's Van Morrison, Days Like This. They start to slow dance.

"Happy birthday, Annabeth"

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"This really has been a wonderful birthday."

When it's not always raining there'll be days like this  
When there's no one complaining there'll be days like this  
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch  
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this

When you don't need to worry there'll be days like this  
When no one's in a hurry there'll be days like this  
When you don't get betrayed by that old Judas kiss  
Oh my mama told me there'll be days like this

When you don't need an answer there'll be days like this  
When you don't meet a chancer there'll be days like this  
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit it  
Then I must remember there'll be days like this

There'll be days like this

When everyone is up front and they're not playing tricks  
When you don't have no freeloaders out to get their kicks  
When it's nobody's business the way that you want to live  
I just have to remember there'll be days like this

When no one steps on my dreams there'll be days like this  
When people understand what I mean there'll be days like this  
When you ring out the changes of how everything is  
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this

Oh my mama told me  
There'll be days like this  
Oh my mama told me  
There'll be days like this  
Oh my mama told me  
There'll be days like this  
Oh my mama told me  
There'll be days like this


	5. Everybody Likes Milkshakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Annabeth spend some quality time together on the campaign trail. Is Annabeth the only person who can make Leo truly laugh?

Santos/McGarry plane

7 days to election day

Josh is addressing the campaign staff.

"Tomorrow is Scranton, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Dayton and Houston. We're hustling."

Lou grabs the marker from Josh and starts checking off the rest of the schedule, "We'll hit Houston. That's a bridge to Friday when we cover Texas, then onto LA and Atlanta."

Congressman Santos chimes in as he pours another cup of coffee, "Florida?"

Josh looks up from his phone, "We're down by two. The state's dark until Saturday."

Lou draws a new schedule on the white board, "Ok. We're gonna do five states on Monday, including Florida. We're gonna play time zone hopscotch."

As the staff scatters across the plane, Donna grabs Josh.

"I have to call Stu from the Tonight Show about the thing with the tights."

"They want the Congressman to wear tights?"

"Yeah."

"Donna, that's…no. Tell them no. Think of something funnier."

"You want me to think of something funnier than the Tonight Show guys?"

"Yeah. Or, Leo could do it?"

"You want to send Leo to do the Tonight Show. In tights."

"OK. Yeah. That's a bad idea. Where is Leo?"

Donna checks the schedule - "He's in Michigan."

Michigan

6 Days to Election

Leo walks backstage from a rally. The sound of cheering is audible. He shakes hands and thanks a bunch of people. Annabeth is standing a few feet away.

"You were on fire out there!"

She and Leo start to walk down the hall.

"We're heading back to the hotel. You've gotta make two calls…"

Leo's phone rings. Annabeth keeps walking, "three calls"

Leo climbs into the waiting SUV as he answers the phone, "Mr. President."

"Leo! Abbey wants me to tell you how much we miss you, but I've told her that I'm a jealous man who won't pass along love notes to a rival."

"Abbey's a patient woman."

"If you're suggesting that she's waiting for you, McGarry, you'll do well to remember my access to trained assassins."

"I'll keep it in mind, sir."

"Six days, Leo."

"Yeah."

"How you holdin' up?"

Leo looks at Annabeth across the backseat of the SUV, "Never been better"

"Alright."

"Thanks for calling, Mr. President."

Annabeth looks over at him, "We'll be at the hotel in ten minutes. You want to make the calls from there?"

"No, I better do it now."

Annabeth updates the call list and makes notes for tomorrow's schedule as Leo makes his calls.

She looks up, "Hey! That was the hotel. We just drove past the hotel…we need to turn around." She leans forward towards the driver - "Hey, that was the hotel back there."

The driver calls back over his shoulder, "Mr. McGarry said we were going…"

Leo hangs up the phone before the driver can finish his sentence. "We're going someplace first."

"We're going someplace?" Annabeth raises her eyebrows at Leo.

"Yeah."

"Where are we going?"

"You like hamburgers?"

"I like hotels."

"This place has the world's best hamburger. Trust me."

"Leo, I am in a car with several heavily armed men being driven to an unknown destination in the middle of the night. Trust is not really what I am feeling right now."

"What about milkshakes? Everyone likes milkshakes"

"Leo!"

The car stops. Leo starts to get out. Annabeth does not move

Leo leans back in the car, "C'mon."

"I'm pretty sure law enforcement would categorize this as a hostage situation, Leo."

Annabeth gets out of the car and follows Leo's eyes to a neon sign, JOHN'S BURGERS. Secret Service walks in ahead of them and one agent stands behind them

Annabeth and Leo sit down at a table. A man walks over.

"Mr. McGarry!" He grabs Leo's shoulder and they shake hands.

"John! It is great to see you again." Leo turns back to the table, "This is Annabeth. Annabeth, this is John. He owns this place."

Annabeth reaches up to shake John's hand. "It's nice to meet you. I was brought here against my will."

"Ignore her. Her blood sugar's low."

John smiles, "We thought we might not see you again, Leo. No more Bartlet campaigns. But now you're the guy!"

"Well, I'm the vice guy, maybe."

"You're welcome here as the guy or the vice guy or whatever! You're having the usual?"

"Yeah." He nods towards Annabeth, "and so is she"

John shouts towards the kitchen, "Two Killers!" and walks away.

Leo gestures grandly, as if John's Burgers is a palatial expanse. "Isn't this place great? John's a great guy."

"Did he say Killers?"

Leo smirks.

"Don't do that, Leo."

"What?"

"Disarm me."

"You were armed? I would have rethought the kidnapping."

"I don't think you're funny"

"No, you think I'm devastatingly sexy."

Annabeth looks at him and then around the room. The walls are covered in signed dollar bills and Univ of Michigan paraphernalia. There's a row of stools at a bar in front of the kitchen. The room is bright, but not blinding white. There are colored Christmas lights on the ceiling and in the window that give off a sort of reddish glow.

"As criminal hideouts go, it's not bad."

A waitress brings their food to the table. It's two huge burgers with fries and chocolate milkshakes

Annabeth laughs. "Forget law enforcement. I'm reporting you to Dr. Bartlet."

Leo picks up his burger. "It's worth it."

Annabeth takes a bite of her burger. "Oh my God…that's actually…is that peanut butter?" She takes another bite. "That's peanut butter. On a burger. Why is this so good? This should be terrible." She takes a sip of the shake. "Leo! This is delicious…this is…this is Stockholm Syndrome."

Leo laughs.

"This is Stockholm Syndrome, Leo! I am sitting here, surrounded by armed guards, being served murder on a plate..." She starts to laugh. "And I can't shut up about how good it is." She starts to laugh harder.

Leo tries not to laugh, looking around the room so he doesn't look at Annabeth and lose it.

"I am literally praising the murder food to my captor!" She is crying with laughter.

Leo can't hold it in any longer. He laughs so hard that the Secret Service agents even smile.

They are visible from the street through the big window of John's. Leo has his head tipped back, and he is open mouthed laughing. Annabeth is leaning forward, towards the table, grabbing at napkins, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.


	6. Thirty Ring Circus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Election Day and Donna thinks there's something happening between Annabeth and Leo.

Election Day

Interior of Leo's house

Annabeth is in the entryway, holding a scarf. Leo walks down the stairs.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

"This is it." Annabeth puts the scarf around Leo's neck and smooths the ends hanging on his chest.

"Yeah."

"You look very Vice Presidential."

Annabeth and Leo walk out the door and into the waiting car.

Leo looks out the window, "Today's gonna be a thirty ring circus."

Annabeth looks up, "Maybe that's what I'll do next."

"What?"

"Join the circus."

"Yeah? You got an act?"

"Trapeze."

Leo turns and looks at her, "You want some help with that?"

Annabeth looks at Leo, knowingly, "You any good?"

"The best, baby."

The car pulls up at the polling place. Leo jumps out to flashing cameras and cheers. Annabeth exits from the other side of the car and walks in behind Leo.

Houston: Election Day

Josh, Donna, Lou and the rest of the staff are gathered in a hotel conference room. Josh is pacing and demanding answers about get out the vote efforts. Annabeth walks in.

Donna hands Annabeth a cup of coffee, "Hey"

"How's it going?"

"Josh is motivating the team by being incredibly mean…Leo's here?"

"Yeah, we just got in."

"Early returns are looking good."

"Yeah, Leo talked to Josh on the plane."

Josh starts shouting.

Lou walks up to Donna and Annabeth, "He's really rallying the troops with the panicked micromanaging."

Ronna calls Annabeth over and she walks away.

Donna lowers her voice, "I think there's something going on between Leo and Annabeth."

Lou stares at the papers in her hand, "I don't care"

"You don't care?"

"Right now my concerns have narrowed to precinct returns in two counties in Ohio."

"Would it be bad for us, though, if it became public?"

"You gonna go talk to reporters, Donna?"

"No. I'm just saying."

Lou looks up, "Would voters care if the Vice President of the United States was getting it on with a woman twenty years younger than him?"

Donna looks at her, "Yeah."

"Do you care?"

"No."

Lou looks back down at her papers, "Neither do I"

"So that's a no, then?"

Lou looks across the room at Annabeth. "Men will want to give him a medal and women won't be surprised…it's not like she's a KGB agent, Donna. Leo's single, so's she and they're consenting adults."

Donna looks down at her coffee, "Yeah."

"But Josh is gonna be jealous."

Donna looks confused. "Josh doesn't want Annabeth."

"No." Lou starts to walk away. "He wants Leo."


	7. The Truth Will Out?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Election Night in Houston. Annabeth and Leo take a next step, and Josh is the unintended audience

Election Night: Houston

Matt and Helen Santos have joined the staff in the hotel. Vinick has just won California. The election will be determined by Oregon and Nevada. If Vinick wins either one, he will take the election.

Josh is pacing in the hallway, talking to Leo and Barry Goodwin (DNC chair) about contesting the election depending on results in Nevada and Oregon.

Bram runs into the hallway. "They've called Oregon! It's ours!

Josh rushes into the suite. Matt and Helen are standing with Donna and Lou.

Josh looks at Santos. "We're this close!" He holds up his thumb and forefinger.

Santos smiles and puts his arm around Helen. "Yeah. We are."

"We've gotta talk about contesting, Congressman."

"I want to win this thing, Josh."

"We all want to win this thing, Congressman; that's why we've gotta talk about contesting Nevada."

Santos turns to Leo. "What do you think?"

"I think you're young, and this party's presumptive nominee in four years, and nobody votes for the guy who beats up the ump after the game…. But, you're this close to being the next President of the United States, Matt, and nobody's guaranteed a second chance at that. You've gotta make this call."

Santos looks at Josh and Barry. "We've got lawyers in Nevada?"

Barry nods, "Every lawyer we've got is in Nevada. Or headed there."

Santos looks around the room. "Okay. Let's hope we don't need 'em."

Leo turns to Josh. "You need me to make some calls?"

"Yeah, Lou's got the list."

Lou and Leo leave the room. They walk into the hall. Annabeth is walking towards them.

"Hey, we need Leo to make some calls. It's all Nevada." Lou hands Annabeth the list.

Lou turns back towards the suite. Leo and Annabeth walk down the hall to Leo's room.

Annabeth leans in to Leo as they walk. "How you doing?"

"It's not my first rodeo."

"Don't do that with me, Leo."

"Do what?"

"Be the jaded operative."

"I am the jaded operative."

Annabeth laughs, "Yeah, but you're also a true believer."

They walk past secret service into Leo's room.

"True believer in what?"

Annabeth looks up at Leo, a little surprised he doesn't know. "Possibility, Leo. You believe in possibility."

Leo stops. Annabeth keeps walking into the suite, and then realizes he's stopped. She turns. He takes a quick step towards her, reaches up and puts his hand behind her head. It disappears into her hair. He pulls her towards him. They kiss, deeply. Leo puts his other hand on Annabeth's low back, pulling their bodies closer. Her hands go underneath his suit jacket at his waist. They stumble towards the bed, still kissing, Leo shrugs out of his jacket, Annabeth steps out of her shoes.

Josh walks in, looking down at a sheaf of papers in his hand.

"Leo, I need you to look at…" He looks up. "Oh, God, I'm…I didn't realize…the Secret Service guys, you know, they just…with the door. God. I'm sorry. I'll just…" He turns back towards the door.

Josh leaves the room and Leo turns to Annabeth, "You ok?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah."

"Do you need to go talk to him?"

Leo shakes his head, "No."

Annabeth looks skeptical

"I chase him down and it's 'cause I'm embarrassed, doing damage control. I'm sorry Josh walked in, but I'm not...this is complicated, without question, but we haven't done anything wrong. But, that's my take, Annabeth. What do you want to do?"

Annabeth looks down at the floor, takes a deep breath, and looks back at Leo. 

"I think we should go downstairs and win an election. And then I think we should come back up here and finish what we started."

Leo grins, grabs Annabeth's hand. They hold hands as they walk out the door, down the hall and let go only as they walk into the Santos suite.


	8. The Man Behind the Desk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth and Josh confront Election Night.

Two weeks after the election. Santos/McGarry Transition team. Josh's office.

Annabeth knocks on the door. Josh is on the phone. He waves her in and finishes the call.

"Yeah, ok, we'll get back to you" 

He hangs up the phone, "Hey, Annabeth. Thanks for coming in. You wanna sit down?"

Annabeth sits down across the desk from Josh.

Josh pushes his chair away from the desk and puts his arms on his legs. He looks down at his shoes. "I have to talk to you about something…personal." He looks up at Annabeth, as if expecting her to say something. Annabeth is silent.

"Right." Josh pushes his hair back and looks up at the ceiling. "So…I have to talk to you about Leo." He pauses and looks again at Annabeth. She says nothing, and does not look away.

"I need to know if…if you and Leo are…you know…together"

"You haven't talked to Leo"

Josh shakes his head, "No."

Annabeth half smiles, well aware that he has not. "No. No. You thought you'd have this conversation with me."

"I don't want to be having this conversation at all, Annabeth."

Annabeth starts to get out of her chair, "Good."

"We're not done."

Annabeth sits back down. "Why?"

Josh is incredulous. "Why? Are you… " He gets up from his chair – still standing behind his desk – and raises his voice. "Because Leo is the Vice President Elect of the United States of America! And I am the goddamn Chief of Staff for the incoming President and that means that there is nothing that affects him that I don't need to know!"

"Sit down, Josh. I don't work for you anymore."

Josh sits. "Tell me how you think this plays out?"

Annabeth stares at him - a flash of unconcealed anger across her face.

"How it plays out, Josh? You want an analysis of how my relationship with Leo plays out?

Let's see… we keep it quiet. We're not seen together, not photographed together. I look and feel like a call girl, sneaking up to his house and winking at secret service agents.

Or, we don't. We go public; we make a statement or we wait for the press to put two and two together, and I am made to feel like a call girl. No one will care that I am smart and accomplished, that I am damn good at my job. Nothing I have done up to this point in my life will matter. I'll be the dumb blonde co-ed who attached herself to the older, powerful man. Leo will get knowing looks and maybe a few puerile asides, but also high fives in the locker room. Meanwhile, every DC wife will say things like "I love your dress! I think my daughter would look amazing in it!" while not-so-secretly wishing I'll choke at dinner."

Annabeth stands up, steps right in front of his desk, and raises her voice.

"But you're not asking me that, are you Josh? You're not asking me how this plays out for me, are you? You're asking me how this makes the White House look.

And here's the thing. You know that Leo McGarry has already asked that and he's made whatever decision he's made. Because you know that Leo McGarry is that guy. He's the guy who is so many steps ahead of everyone else, that he's answered the question before they've even thought to ask it.

And I have news for you, Josh. So am I. So you can take your assumptions about me and file them in your big chief of staff desk under "F" for fuck you.

Because what's really going on here, what really got me called in here for this ridiculous and insulting conversation is that you're a man in a position of power and you thought that gave you the right to call a woman into your office and ask her who she is sleeping with.

It doesn't."

Annabeth walks out the door


	9. Change the Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh and Toby discuss Josh's conversation with Annabeth, and so do Annabeth and Leo.

Josh's Office

Josh is sitting at his desk, having just watched Annabeth walk out the door

His phone rings.

"Hey Toby."

Toby's voice booms, "You are aware that your team has to make 4,000 political appointments, including more than 1,000 for Senate confirmed leadership appointments, oversee a $3.7 trillion budget and manage a workforce of 2.1 million civilian employees?"

Josh is still staring at his office door. "Yeah."

"Really, Josh? 'Cause what I'm reading is mostly about how good looking your President Elect is. What the hell is your Communications director doing?"

"What?"

"Josh!"

"Sorry. I just…I think I just got beat up by a girl."

"What?"

"Annabeth…she just left my office. I think I screwed up."

"I'm calling to tell you you're screwing up!"

"No. I mean yeah, you are, but… listen, on election night… I went to Leo's room to have him look at some numbers and I walked in on him and Annabeth."

"Walked in on Leo and Annabeth?"

"Yeah."

"Doing what?"

Josh is silent.

"Ok. Well, I didn't see that coming. But, apologize and move on. Can we please get back to how badly your communications team is screwing up the messaging right now?"

"It's just… I needed to know, right, Toby? I mean, I needed to talk to Annabeth to find out what's…it's my job. Knowing things is my job."

"You needed to talk to Annabeth about you walking in on her and Leo?"

"Yeah, well, I needed to talk to her about whether there's still something to be walked in on, you know?"

"No, Josh, I don't know. What the hell would make you think you should do that?"

"I was worried. You know, about whether…if they're together, about how that impacts things. And whether Leo's thinking straight."

"Whether Leo's thinking straight? You think what, Josh? That Annabeth lured poor, innocent, virginal Leo into her what? Garden of Cleavage? And made him eat from the Tree of Sexual Knowledge? You think maybe she's hypnotized him with her ponytail?"

"No. I just…"

"Jesus, Josh."

"Annabeth told me to file my assumptions about her under "F" for…"

Toby laughs delightedly, "yeah, I think I got what the F stands for…I knew I liked her."

"You think I should talk to Leo? She's probably gonna talk to Leo."

"I think you should stop being an idiot and focus on your actual job. Which, incidentally, is not going well." He picks up a newspaper. "Here's a nice shot of the President Elect playing basketball." He picks up a magazine. "Here's an article about how he and Mrs. Santos met." He looks at his computer screen. "Oh, and – this one is my favorite – here's a hard hitting piece entitled 'He's been running through my head all day' with a picture of our next President running, shirtless, on the beach."

"He's young, Toby. He's good looking. They're a youthful, attractive couple. The press is falling all over themselves to get near him. And the running picture's from, like, five years ago."

"He's the incoming President of the United States, Josh! Not the reigning prom king at Beverly Hills High! You need to change the message!"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. I hear you."

"Good."

"I love Leo, you know, Toby. I just want to make sure…"

"For the love of…" Toby puts the phone down on the table and stares at the ceiling. He exhales and picks the phone up.

"Do you really not know the difference, Josh?"

"Huh?"

"You need Leo to love you! You need him to have eyes only for you and your giant brain and big, capable hands that can wrangle Congress. Don't confuse needing Leo to love you, Josh, with you loving Leo."

Josh just sits there with the phone next to his ear.

"If you were going to have the conversation you just had with anyone, Josh, it wasn't Annabeth. It was Leo. He's the one with the goddamn power. He's the one you should be worried about. If this thing blows up, it will be because we have rules to protect people working for more powerful people for a reason!"

"That happens, you think?"

"No, I don't. Have you told anyone else about this?"

"No. You're the only one who knows."

"Good. Then just keep your mouth shut. If this thing blows up and Leo starts looking like John Hoynes, then you deal with it. I don't think that's what this is, by the way."

"Okay."

"And meanwhile, get the President Elect some meaningful press coverage, alright? Substantive issues."

"Yeah"

"I gotta go. Change the message, Josh."

That Night

Leo and Annabeth are sitting in Leo's kitchen.

"I could kill him." Leo looks around the room, as if Josh is likely to appear.

"Yeah, I thought about it. He'd convinced himself he was doing his job."

"He should have come to me."

"We knew this was going to be complicated, Leo."

"Yeah"

"I was working for the campaign when Josh walked in on us. Our relationship starts now, when I am working for the First Lady, soon to be safely away in the East Wing, and it's still complicated, but it's not…"

"It's still problematic, Annabeth."

"You didn't coerce me, Leo. That's not what happened."

Leo takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes."What do you want to do here?"

"I don't know."

"We know what this is."

"Yeah. We do, Leo."

"Okay…what about this?" Leo stands up and starts walking around the room. "The truth is that we are friends."

Annabeth looks up at him and smiles wickedly.

"We are! I mean, yeah, other things, too, but fundamentally Annabeth, I like you. I genuinely like the person you are, and the way you interact with the world, and the fact that you are utterly and resolutely yourself. If we never touched each other again… I mean, that would not be my vote, but if that happened, I would still want to be with you, be around you."

"Are you…?" Annabeth stands. She clearly understands where Leo is going with this. "Okay. So, what if we are friends? I mean, publicly."

Leo smiles. "We're known to be friends."

"Yeah...Word gets out that we like to drink milkshakes and watch Hepburn movies."

"Uh-huh. And we hang out. We don't run around town holding hands."

"Running around town would be a little challenging for the Vice President in any case." Annabeth smiles. "When was the last time you went to the grocery store for yourself?"

Leo thinks for a second. "1990?"

Annabeth laughs, "It gets out that we have lunch sometimes in your office. We're obviously not hiding anything."

"Yep."

"And I am known to come over to your house when we are both in town. No sneaking."

"Exactly. You come over to your friend's house for dinner and the press gets fed some adorable 'off the record' quotes about how you are teaching me to appreciate Sriracha."

"And it's the truth. Well, not the Sriracha. You hate that." She rubs the edge of Leo's kitchen table. "It's the truth that are friends. Because I really like you too, Leo. Just being around you…it feels right."

"And if rumors swirl, we just ignore them. Because the truth is that we are friends."

Annabeth looks hopeful. "I actually think the press is going to love this, Leo! The President and the First Lady are recreating Camelot…the Vice President and the First Lady's Press Secretary are starring in a buddy movie…it humanizes you…it counteracts your image as the back room deal maker, the muscle to Santos' charm."

"Thanks."

Annabeth smiles and moves towards him. "They don't know you like I do."

Leo laughs, "I would hope not."

Annabeth puts her arms around him. "This is good, Leo."

"Yeah. It is. We change the message."


	10. Holiday Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo asks Jed about bringing a guest to New Years in New Hampshire

Three Days before Christmas

Debbie walks Leo into the Oval Office. "Mr. President, Leo McGarry is here."

"Leo! Why didn't you tell me you were coming in?"

"I had some meetings and I decided to stop by."

"You realize that, as President of the United States, I am often unavailable during the working day?"

"It was a risk, sir."

"Sit down. Sit down."

Jed ushers Leo over to the couch.

"You better not be here to tell me you're not coming up to New Hampshire for Christmas."

"No, sir."

"Good! Abbey and I are looking forward to getting to spend time with you."

Leo looks around the office, "Just a few more days..."

"Yep. Getting evicted."

"You should try to negotiate with the new tenants. Maybe they'd sublet or something."

"Yeah, you know somebody? Maybe you'd put in a good word for me?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"So you'll be there for Christmas."

"Yeah, I'll meet you and Abbey up there. And then come back down here the day after."

"But, you'll come back for New Years?"

"Yeah, about that."

"This better not be a 'no,' McGarry. I need someone to kiss at the stroke of midnight, and Abbey hates staying up late."

"I was thinking I might bring someone."

"Bring someone?"

"Yeah. You remember Annabeth Schott?"

"Indeed I do, Leo."

"Well, she's going to be visiting family for Christmas, and she's really not looking forward to it and then she'll be back in town and I just thought…"

"You thought you'd extend a casual invitation to join the President and his family at their private home for New Years Eve?"

"Only if you and Abbey are okay with it."

Jed grins. "Oh, I think Abbey is going to be more than okay with this, Leo. When I tell my beautiful, brilliant and deeply inquisitive wife that you are bringing Annabeth Schott for New Years Eve..." He laughs. "She is going to positively swoon with anticipation."

"Annabeth is a friend."

"How long have we known each other, Leo?

"34 years"

"And in those 34 years, how many female guests have you squired up to Nashua?"

"Jenny."

Jed nods, "Uh-huh"

"Mallory."

Jed holds up two fingers. "Uh-huh"

"Does C.J. count?"

"No."

"Jenny and Mallory."

"Correct. Two. Your former wife - the mother of your child - and said child. And now Annabeth Schott."

Leo looks away. "Yeah"

"Well, Leo, I look forward to hosting your very casual and in no way groundbreaking 'friend' for New Years."

"Great."

Jed and Leo walk towards the door.

"Abbey and I will see you in a few days"

"Yeah."

"And Leo?"

Leo turns around, "Yeah?"

"We're back to the problem of who I'm gonna kiss at midnight."


	11. New Year's Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Annabeth celebrate NYE with the Bartlet's

Dec 31

Annabeth and Leo are driving up the dirt road to the Bartlet's.

Annabeth nervously rubs her earlobe. "I'm a little terrified."

Leo reaches over and takes her hand. "You're fine. The President and First Lady are excited you're here."

"Referring to them as the President and First Lady is not helping."

"Jed and Abbey"

They pull up in front of the house.

"But don't call them that."

Annabeth looks at him like she might throw up.

Jed and Abbey walk down the front stairs from the porch.

Jed calls out, "Hello! Hello! Welcome!"

Jed hugs Leo and offers his arm to Annabeth. Abbey kisses Leo on the cheek and follows Jed and Annabeth up the stairs.

Abbey leans into Leo and whispers in his ear, "You're positively radiating possessive sexual energy."

"This is not a conversation we're having."

"It will be."

She smiles wickedly, lets go of Leo's arm, and joins Jed and Annabeth.

Later that night…

Jed, Abbey, Leo and Annabeth are all sitting around the dining room table. It's dark outside, but the room is glowing with light. The table is covered in plates, glasses, bottles of wine, flowers…

Jed is smiling and leaning into the table. "Leo remembers! It was my first Thanksgiving in office, and I was going to serve lunch at a soup kitchen here in New Hampshire."

Abbey looks at Annabeth, "He'd done it for years, as Governor, and even before that"

Jed continues, "Right. But this time, I pull up in a ten car convoy at a soup kitchen… and I can't help but think, you know, how much this outing is costing. I'm showing up with an entourage whose total cost exceeds the budget of that soup kitchen by a hundredfold."

Abbey interjects, "Oh, it was way more than that – A thousandfold, at least."

"That's helpful, hon, thanks." 

Jed looks back at Leo and Annabeth. "The pilgrims barely survived the first Thanksgiving and I'm being shuttled around in a bulletproof money boat."

"If it makes you feel better, I think Money Boat was what William Bradford originally wanted to call the Mayflower."

Jed laughs. "Oh, much better, Annabeth, thanks."

He reaches over and refills Abbey's wine glass. "The last eight years have been an extended exercise in recalibrating my sense of reality. It's amazing what we can get used to, what starts to feel normal."

Abbey looks across the table at Annabeth. "Did life on the campaign trail ever start to feel normal?"

"Do you know what I found in my suitcase when I was packing for this trip?"

Abbey shakes her head.

Annabeth leans back against her chair, "Sixteen hotel key cards. They must have been in the pockets of clothing that I just threw in the suitcase. I mean, you just leave the keys in the room. How did I not do that 16 different times? I guess normal people operate on more than two or three hours of sleep."

Abbey laughs. "It would be a better story if they were sixteen key cards belonging to other people."

"Yeah, I could cast myself as a kleptomaniac."

Abbey looks over her glass at Leo, "Or a nymphomaniac."

Leo leans into the table. "Okey doke." He moves the wine bottle away from Abbey.

Annabeth laughs.

Jed looks at his watch. "It's 11:45 boys and girls. Should we get our party hats on?"

They start to get up, tossing cloth napkins onto the table. Leo watches Abbey grab noise makers and hats from the center of the table.

"Oh, good, you were serious about the hats."

They all walk into the den. Jed turns on the TV. It's coverage of the ball drop in Times Square.

Abbey looks at them. "I forgot the champagne!"

She runs back into the dining room, reappearing with the bottle in one hand and four glasses in the others.

"Leo, I have the world's finest sparkling water on hand, too."

"That's great, Abbey."

She pours Leo a glass.

The four of them are standing in the den, bookshelves lining the walls, soft light. They're facing the TV.

Jed raises his glass, "A toast."

Abbey, Leo, and Annabeth all raise their glasses.

"To old friends." He looks at Annabeth. "And new"

A chorus of "cheers!"

The countdown begins

10…9…

Jed puts his arm around Abbey.

8…7…

Abbey surreptitiously glances at Leo and Annabeth.

6…5…

Leo takes a tiny side step towards Annabeth

4…3

Annabeth shifts slightly towards Leo.

2…1

Leo and Annabeth's hands meet, just for a second.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

They all blow on the noise makers.

Jed pulls Abbey in and kisses her.

Jed calls out, "Another year…!"

Leo and Abbey chorus: "And we're still here!"

Leo is wearing a stupid hat and grinning. He kisses Abbey on the cheek. Abbey looks at Annabeth smiling as she looks at Leo.


	12. Tell Me About a Good Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jed learns more about Annabeth, and what he sees makes him think she and Leo should be together.

JANUARY 1

Jed and Leo are in the kitchen when Annabeth walks in.

"Good morning." Jed nods towards the kitchen island. "There's coffee on the counter over there."

"Perfect. Thanks."

"Leo was just telling me that you were back in Georgia for Christmas. With your family?"

"Yes, in Savannah."

"How long were you there?"

"Five minutes before I wanted to leave." She smiles as she leans against the kitchen island.

Leo looks at Jed, "I suggested she could poison Christmas dinner. Maybe sneak some tranquilizers into the mashed potatoes."

Annabeth smiles at Leo, "Yeah, and I'd tell the arresting officers that I heard the Vice President's voice in my head, telling me to drug my family."

Jed laughs, "I take it being home is not your favorite activity."

"I look forward to seeing my sister, Julia. And her husband, Bill, he's a really great guy. They've been together since high school."

"Your sister's older or younger than you?"

"Six years older. Different dads."

"Do you see your parents when you're there? Are they still in Georgia?"

"My mom, yeah. She lives with Julia and Bill. She has early onset Alzheimer's."

Jed looks down at his coffee. "I'm sorry. That's a brutal disease."

Annabeth nods, "Yeah. Jules is a saint. So is Bill. Mom moved in with them last year."

"Do they have kids?"

"No. My sister can't have kids. Which is the cruelest possible thing. She was like a mother to me, and she'd be an amazing mom. They looked into adoption – got into the process – and then Mom started having symptoms, we got the diagnosis, and Jules and Bill stepped up."

Leo stands up and leans against the counter next to Annabeth, "That's what we do for the ones we love, right?"

Annabeth looks at Leo, "It's what Jules has done. There's not been much stepping up on my end."

"You feel bad about that?," Jed asks, gently.

"Yes. And no. I feel terrible about Julia and Bill having to shoulder it all. But, I don't know how great I would be at caring for my Mom. Julia really did raise me. I mean, my Mom was around, but she worked a lot; she was raising two kids on her own. And when she wasn't working she had other priorities."

"Other than you and Julia?"

"Yeah. She partied. She was so young when she had Julia. She never had a chance to grow up the way you would without all of that. And her taste in men…my Aunt used to say that my Mom would find the loser in a football stadium full of winners"

"Was your dad…"

"A loser?" She smiles gently at Jed. "Yeah. He left just after my first birthday. Julia's dad was in and out for a little bit when I was young, but by the time I was six or seven it was just me, my mom and Jules"

Jed looks pained, "I'm sorry, Annabeth. That's a lot of lousy cards to get dealt"

"It was fine. Really. We all know there are far worse stories out there."

"Okay, then what's a good story?"

Annabeth tilts her head, "A good story, sir?"

"Yeah, what's something you remember from growing up – something that's good."

Annabeth thinks for a minute.

"I remember this day we went to the beach. We didn't live that far from the beach, but we rarely went. My mom was at work, we didn't always have a car or…I don't know, it's just not really something we did much. Anyway…I was probably 8 or 9 so Julia would have been 15?

I was sitting in the kitchen, eating Frosted Flakes out of the box. " She looks up at Jed and Leo, "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. You might want to talk to the White House chef.

Leo smirks - "Never gonna happen"

Annabeth shoots Leo a look of mock surprise and continues, "My Mom walked in. She was dressed for work – she was a waitress at this tourist trap place, and she had to wear this bright blue t-shirt with a huge red lobster on the front. She hated it.

Mom looked at me, and then she looked out the kitchen window, and she just said "it's a beach day." And the next thing I know, Jules and I are shoving towels and cold drinks into the back of Mom's hatchback, and we're climbing over each other to get in the car, and the cracked leather of the seat is burning the backs of my legs."

She smiles, caught up in the memory. It's almost like she has forgotten Jed and Leo are there.

"Julia had gotten a two piece bathing suit from a friend earlier that summer. It was a big deal, you know."

She looks at Jed and Leo, as if for confirmation of the fact that this would be a big deal. She laughs.

"I guess you guys never really had that moment"

Jed shakes his head, "But Leo looked great in his"

Annabeth laughs. "Anyway, boys were starting to be a thing for Julia, and she was wearing the top of the bikini with her jean shorts as we walked from the car to the beach, and I could see that she knew that guys around their cars, or on the path, were looking at her. And I thought she was so cool, the way she just walked right past them.

And my mom – she was beautiful – I mean, really beautiful. She'd smile at people and they'd smile back just a second too long, like they didn't want her to stop.

I was so proud to be with both of them. Like, here were these two women that everyone was looking at and I was with them."

She sits down at the kitchen table, puts her coffee mug down.

"That summer had been different for me with Julia. She was a teenager and I was so much younger, but that day… We got to the beach, and Jules just tore off her shorts and yanked my little sun dress off and we went running into the waves.

The water was so cold. It was like getting punched. But Jules grabbed my hand and we ducked under the waves over and over again, just letting them rush over us. We'd come up, blinking and wiping the water out of our eyes, and there'd be the shock of the sunlight, and then we'd dive back down again and the noise of everyone – the kids yelling and people's radios and men shouting from the boardwalk – it would all disappear. It felt like a magic trick.

And I remember looking over my shoulder at my mom. She stood up and waved and – she wore these silver bangle bracelets on both arms - and when she waved, these flashes of light, like tiny fireworks, ricocheted around her hand and her face. And then I turned back around and Jules was right there. She was still holding my hand. My mouth tasted like salt and coconut sunscreen and...I swear to you, the world could have ended right there and it would have been ok."

Annabeth shakes her head and looks at Leo and Jed.

Clearly a little embarrassed, she looks down at her coffee cup. "Anyway, it was a good day."

Jed looks closely at her, as if seeing her in a new way. "In the day of prosperity be happy. But in the day of adversity consider—"

Annabeth cuts in, "God has made the one as well as the other."

Jed, a little surprised, "Yes."

"I grew up in Georgia, sir. I know Ecclesiastes."

"I really ought to enforce that separation of church and state thing more."

Annabeth laughs and stands up, "I think I've taken up quite enough of your guys' morning talking about myself… Mrs. Bartlet was going to show me your garden."

Jed nods towards the window, "She's out there now. Careful you don't surprise her. She wields those gardening shears like Sweeney Todd."

Jed and Leo watch her go.

Jed stands up and refills his coffee. "Abbey's already cross-examined you?"

"I've been leaping into the bushes when I see her coming."

Jed turns back to face Leo, "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Nope"

Jed nods and looks out the window as Annabeth waves to Abbey. "If you're not already with her, Leo, you should be."


	13. Much More Likely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth and Leo return to DC. Unable to keep their hands off each other, they barely make it through the door...

Jan 1: Annabeth and Leo are leaving Nashua after spending New Year's Eve with Abbey and Jed.

The four of them are walking out to the car waiting for Leo and Annabeth.

Annabeth reaches for Abbey's hand, "Thank you both. This was a wonderful start to a new year."

"It was a pleasure to have you join us, Annabeth."

Jed grabs Leo's shoulder "I guess we'll see you at the Inauguration."

"Yeah." He looks at Abbey, "Not having you as a dance partner at the Inauguration parties this time is a loss."

Abbey takes Leo's hand, "Leo's a wonderful dancer, Annabeth."

Annabeth smiles,"I know."

Abbey looks pointedly at Leo, "Oh, really?"

Leo and Annabeth climb into the car.

Jed waves as the car heads down the dirt drive, "He's in love with her."

"Yep"

"I like her."

"Me too."

"This ends badly?"

"She's in love with him, too."

Jed looks at her, "That makes it more or less likely that it ends badly?"

Abbey takes his arm and they turn towards the house, "Oh, more likely. Much more likely"

Back in DC

They barely make it in the door before Leo's hands are in her hair, his mouth tracing a line down her neck.

"Being around you and not being able to touch you was making me crazy."

Annabeth shudders as Leo's hand thumbs over her nipples, his fingers unbuttoning her shirt. Her breath is ragged as she grazes her lips against his ear.

She lets her hand fall, feels for him through the fabric of his pants.

"Oh God, Annabeth, I need…"

His hands, rougher now, rip at the buttons of her jeans. He pushes her onto the couch, falling with her, his mouth desperately seeking hers.

She wraps her legs around his hips, pulling him into her. He calls out her name as she rocks her body under his…

Later...

They're both lying on the floor of Leo's living room, clothes scattered around them.

Leo reaches for Annabeth's hand. She turns on her side to face him.

"You're incredible."

Leo snorts, "I'm an old man."

Annabeth lays her arm across his waist and puts her chin on his chest.

Her tone more forceful, she repeats, "You're incredible."

He picks his head up off the ground and looks at her, as if checking to see if she means it.

She smiles and stands up. "I'm going to get in the shower."

Leo looks around for his boxers and shirt, grabs them and starts to get dressed. He's stepping into his pants when his phone rings. He looks around to find the phone.

He starts picking up Annabeth's clothes, the pillows that had fallen from the couch, but can't find it.

It stops ringing.

He finds his jacket on the hallway floor, the phone in the pocket.

He takes the phone and walks back to his bedroom with the jacket. Annabeth is walking out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel.

"Your clothes are still on the floor."

Annabeth laughs, "I think the line is 'I like your outfit. It would look great on my floor.'"

"I think it's a little late for the line."

He looks at her, standing there in a towel; she looks truly happy.

Leo kisses her lightly on her shoulder, "How did I get this lucky?"

He calls back to her as she walks past him towards the living room, "I missed a call from Mallory. I'm just gonna call her back."

Annabeth is barely dresssed when Leo comes rushing back into the room.

"I have to go."

"Leo, what's…"

Panicked, Leo is wresting his arms through his jacket and shoving on his shoes. "Jenny. She…she's in the hospital. She and Mallory were having lunch when…I have to go."

He throws open the front door and his Secret Service detail rush him into a waiting car.


	14. In the Day of Adversity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth has not seen Leo since he ran out of his house after learning that Jenny was in the hospital.

Groundhog Day

It has been a month since Leo ran out of his house, headed to the hospital to see Jenny. The Inauguration has come and gone. Annabeth is working as Press Secretary for First Lady Helen Santos, while Leo serves as Vice President in the Santos administration.

Annabeth is leaving the White House when her phone rings.

"Hey Jules."

"Annabeth! I can't believe you actually picked up!"

"I could hang up if you want to leave a message."

"Well, it would feel more normal."

Annabeth laughs, "I'm sorry. I'm trying to find more time for…everything…How's mom?"

Julia sighs.

"That good?"

"I dunno, Annabeth. The same, maybe?"

"You're a saint, Jules."

"Yeah. It would be nice if you could visit. I don't mean right now, but sometime. Sometime soon."

"Yeah, I will. I promise."

"You still haven't heard from him, have you?"

Annabeth closes her eyes, "No."

"I get that it's hard to lose someone, but…"

"It was so sudden, Jules. An aneurysm…"

"Which you only know because Donna told you. Otherwise you'd be learning about it in the papers, like the rest of us."

"Yeah, but if something happened to you, I don't know how I'd respond."

"I'm not your ex-wife."

Annabeth sighs resignedly, "Yeah."

"Call him."

"I did, Jules. He knows I'm here."

"Yeah, okay. I love you, Annabee"

"Love you, too."

The wind whips through the bare trees as Annabeth continues her walk home. She pulls her jacket tighter around her and lowers her head.

She's barely in the door when she hears the doorbell ring.

"Mrs. Bartlet! I wasn't…how did you…" Annabeth takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Let's try that again. Please, come in. "

Abbey walks past her, "I'm sorry to barge in on you."

Annabeth closes the door, sticking her head out to see if anyone has seen the former first lady arrive at her apartment. A Secret Service agent is standing there. She mutters under her breath, "nobody should notice that…"

Abbey is standing in the hall, looking around the apartment.

"Here, let me grab your coat."

"Your home is lovely, Annabeth"

"Oh, thank you, I feel like I don't spend much time in it."

"Well, that explains why your kitchen is so clean."

Annabeth laughs and gestures towards the living room. Abbey sits down on the couch and Annabeth sits down in a chair across from her.

"Can I get you anything? Water? A glass of wine? The Goldfish crackers which represent the sum total of the food in my kitchen?"

Abbey laughs, "No, I'm fine. Thanks."

Annabeth looks expectantly at Abbey.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you before showing up like this."

"No, that's fine. It's…it's very nice to see you."

"Is it?"

"Of course."

"Even though I am lifelong friends with the jerk who ran out on you and hasn't called you in a month?"

Annabeth reddens and looks down at the ground. "I certainly wouldn't expect Vice President McGarry to…"

Abbey stops her, "I would. I would expect the man I was in a serious relationship with to call me and let me know what the hell is going on."

"We're not… Vice President McGarry and I are not…"

"Leo told us, Annabeth."

Annabeth is stunned.

"Not that he needed to. Do you know how he looks at you, Annabeth?"

Annabeth looks away, takes a deep breath and then looks right back at Abbey, "Yes."

"Yes…I have known Leo McGarry a very long time, and I can assure you that it is remarkable."

"He was married, Mrs. Bartlet. For years."

"Please, call me Abbey. "

Annabeth nods.

"And yes, he was married. And he loved Jenny. But, he was never…

Let me put it this way, Annabeth. I've never seen Leo McGarry put on a goofy hat on New Years. It's like, when he's around you, he forgets to be…well, to be Leo McGarry. When you two were with us in New Hampshire, he never took his eyes off you. Not once.

Do you know how long it's been since I've seen Leo McGarry go five seconds without looking around a room, searching out the person he needs next, or down at his phone, anticipating that next crisis or concern…convinced that something crucial or necessary might be happening just out of his line of sight, something that could hurt him or someone he cares about, and he just needs to be ready?"

Annabeth and Abbey just look at each other.

"I don't know what he's going to do, Annabeth. I really don't. He doesn't know I'm here and I'm not going to tell him. Jenny's death has hit him. Hard. You certainly don't owe him anything, and I would understand if you were angry and..."

Annabeth cuts in, "I'm not angry."

Abbey looks at her doubtfully.

"I'm not. I should be, maybe. But, I am not sure how I might react if someone I had loved, shared a life with, had a child with, suddenly died. A good part of me thinks I might do exactly what Leo has done."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Abbey looks closely at her and sees that she means it. "Jed would say 'In the day of prosperity, be joyful...'"

Annabeth smiles, "But in the day of adversity consider this..."

Abbey joins her, "God has made one as well as the other."

Annabeth laughs, "He said it to me in New Hampshire."

"Does it make you feel any better?"

"Not in the slightest."

Abbey laughs, "No, it never works for me, either."

Annabeth leans forward in her chair. "I saw Leo at the Inauguration."

"Of course you did."

"It was like…have you ever had that experience, Abbey, where you go back to a place, a place you spent so much time, like your old school, or the house you grew up in, and it looks both utterly familiar, but in some essential way, alien to you?"

Abbey nods.

"You know it's the same. The place has not changed. It's still got the same door and windows and tree in the front yard. It's that you've changed. And so you see it differently."

"Yes."

"It was like that. He looked like Leo. Except he didn't."

Abbey reaches for Annabeth's hand, "He's still Leo."

Annabeth nods, "Yes, but I've changed."


	15. Resignation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo reappears and shocks Annabeth with a decision.

One week later – Annabeth is leaving work when a Secret Service agent stops her.

"Ms. Schott, can you come with me, please?"

Annabeth looks down as he puts his hand on her elbow, "Yes, but...what's happening?"

He directs her into a waiting SUV.

"Sorry, I don't know…where are we going?"

"The Naval Observatory."

"The Naval…the Vice President's residence?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Annabeth closes her eyes, "I'm assuming I can't direct you, instead, to my apartment?"

"No, ma'am"

"No. Of course not."

They arrive at the Naval Observatory. She is led into the house.

Leo is standing in the foyer, "Hi."

"Mr. Vice President."

"We're alone, Annabeth."

Annabeth gestures around her, "In the Naval Observatory, with its extensive staff and security."

"Let's go sit down?"

Annabeth follows him into his study. He pulls out two chairs from a round, wood table.

"Please, sit down."

She does.

"I would have come without the armed escort, Leo."

"I'm sorry about that."

"No." She takes a deep breath and puts her hands on the table. "It's…it's just as well, because it's very much a part of what we need to talk about."

"Annabeth, I really..."

"No, Leo. You have not spoken to me in five weeks. I have spent every minute of the last five weeks thinking about you, wondering if you were okay...the entire goddamn world reminding me of you. Do you have any idea how often Van Morrison is on the radio? I do. It's a lot."

Leo tries to cut in, "I really need…"

"And I can't just show up at your house. I can't ask my guards to go get you and bring you to me. I just have to wait for you. Until you decide you'd like me back in your life. And I am very, very sorry that Jenny died. I cannot imagine how much that hurt and what the last few weeks have been like for you, Leo. If you had let me, I would have been there for you in every way I know how. But this…the way that you just dropped me and now, literally, picked me back up again…It's what I was telling Abbey…"

Leo sits back in his chair, "Abbey?"

"Yes, she…never mind. Look, this is not the conversation I wanted to have with you. I would have preferred to talk about you, to ask you about Jenny. But, then you pull this nonsense with the Secret Service. And things have changed, Leo. I've changed. I see things differently."

"Me too."

"I'm not your equal. This relationship. You have all the power. And that's not okay. I tried to will myself into believing that we could…that there was a way around that. But, there's not."

"I'm resigning the Vice Presidency."

"I saw you at the Inauguration and you were...wait...what?"

"I'm resigning."

Annabeth stands up. "You can't."

"It's going to be announced in the morning. That's why I sent the Secret Service to get you. I didn't want you to learn about it from the announcement. I would never, ever have used my power like that otherwise."

"You're resigning." She walks from one end of the study to the other. "And it's going to be made public in the morning. When did you…?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while. I told Matt two days ago."

Annabeth sits back down next to him, "Leo, I don't even know where to begin."

"Then let me. Please?"

Annabeth nods, crossing her arms tightly across her body as if to physically hold herself together.

"Jenny deserved better than I gave her. I loved her, Annabeth, but not in the way…not in the way she deserved. It wasn't just the booze and the pills, though that was certainly part of it. Jenny was kind. She was thoughtful. She was devoted to our life together, and she was an outstanding mother to Mallory. I saw all that, and I took advantage of it. I never thought of Jenny as my partner outside of how she made my life possible. When I thought about her it all, it was in the service of my own ambition. Another man would have loved her for who she was.

And now she's dead, Annabeth. And while she was dying, I was with you. That fact sent me down some very dark paths. What haven't I been given in life? I got to have a family, a beautiful child, a lovely home, and the professional success I craved – all courtesy of a woman I largely ignored. And in Jenny's last moments, I'm lying on my living room floor, exhausted from making love to a brilliant, beautiful, utterly unique woman who actually seems to think I am a decent human being. Gambler's odds, Annabeth, say I have been running the table for far too long."

"Leo…that's…you are not responsible for Jenny's aneurysm."

"No. I'm not. The world does not mete out its gifts and punishments because of me, or in spite of me. But I have spent the last few weeks digging myself in and back out of a deep and dark hole of grief and guilt and self-loathing.

And then, as I start to come out of it, as I start to consider how not to be a guy who has a deep, dark hole of regret and pain lurking right on the edges of his consciousness, I realize that serving as Vice President is not what I want to do.

Serving as Jed Bartlet's Chief of Staff was the pinnacle of my career, Annabeth. There is nothing else I could do, professionally, that could compare to that. I helped get Matt Santos elected, and I am damn proud of that. He was too young, too inexperienced to run without someone like me as a counterweight. But, he does not need me to govern. He is going to be an outstanding President. Period.

So, I don't want to be Vice President and neither this President nor this country needs me to be."

"Leo, this is not... you're…you have been through an extraordinarily difficult...you lost Jenny. And it hit you, hard. Are you sure that you're…are you certain that this is not the grief and shock? You don't walk away from things. When you have been called, you've served."

"It's not like I'm going to retire and play golf, Annabeth. I'm going to do something else. I don't know what it is, yet, but I'll figure it out. What I know for certain is that I am not going to be Vice President of the United States."

Annabeth gets out of her chair and walks the length of the room again. "I don't know what to say. This is…this is not the conversation I thought we were going to have."

"I'm not resigning because of you, Annabeth. But, it does make it easier."

"Leo, no…"

"You are my equal. In every way that matters. But, you're right, in the positions we occupy, you're not. And nothing you or I could have done would have changed that. But now…"

"I don't know how to...what am I supposed to say to that, Leo? Can we just…can we just take a minute here?"

"We can take all the time you need."


	16. Sure and Certain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Annabeth discuss his planned resignation and his feelings for her.

Annabeth takes a deep breath. She walks out of the study and into the hallway. Closing her eyes, she pushes her forehead and hands into the wall. She pushes, forcefully, off the wall and returns to the study.

"Okay, Leo, I am going to ask you some questions. I am going to start with what I need to know and what I can most handle right now."

"Fine."

She sits down, "I am the First Lady's Press Secretary. How do I not know about this?"

"Because it couldn't leak. The only people who know about it are me, Matt, Josh, Lou and a few other key West Wing staff. You were going to be informed tomorrow morning and giving a briefing sheet."

"I will be given a set of talking points. Right. Sure. Just a regular day in the office. Okay…the announcement is made tomorrow. And your resignation takes effect when?"

"Immediately."

"As of tomorrow you are no longer Vice President of the United States?"

"Correct."

"What will be the reason given for your resignation?"

"My own concerns about my health and my ability to do the job in the way it must be done."

"And are you concerned about your health?"

"No."

"But, you feel unable to do the job?"

"I am unwilling to do the job. Which means that I am unable to do it."

"Yeah, that's not the answer I'd give the press, but okay."

Leo looks at her. "Okay. Let's reverse this. I'll ask the questions and you tell me what you'd say. As Press Secretary."

Annabeth nods.

He stands and faces Annabeth, "Has Vice President McGarry experienced any health issues since the election that have made him unable to perform his duties?"

Annabeth looks up at him, "No."

"Has Vice President McGarry been given any medical diagnoses that impact his ability to perform his role now or in the future?"

"No."

"So Vice President McGarry has neither experienced new health issues nor been given any new adverse medical diagnoses and yet he is resigning as the Vice President because of health concerns?"

"Vice President McGarry has served this country ably and proudly for over thirty years. First as a member of our nation's armed forces and subsequently as a valued member of several administrations. When asked to serve his nation again as its Vice President, Mr. McGarry answered that call. In the intervening months, however, Mr. McGarry has determined that he cannot serve as Vice President in a manner that meets his own exacting standards, nor those of the Office."

Leo smiles, "I gotta write that one down."

Annabeth glares at him.

Leo returns to his role as press, "The Santos administration is prepared to nominate a successor to Mr. McGarry?"

Annabeth nods, "The Santos administration is considering a short list of candidates and will announce a nominee as soon as possible."

"Is the speed with which the Santos administration is responding to this an indication that it was aware of Vice President McGarry's intentions, or perhaps shared his concerns and prepared for his departure?"

"The Santos administration is prepared for any and all eventualities. A quality I believe our citizens should expect to find in our elected officials."

"You're making me kind of hot right now."

"Shut up, Leo."

"Sorry. Okay. Ms. Schott, do President Santos and Vice President McGarry not respect the will of the people? The voters cast their ballots for a ticket."

Annabeth stands and begins walking around the table, "Both President Santos and Vice President McGarry hold the American electorate in the highest possible regard. It is, in fact, their devotion to the American public that motivates Mr. McGarry's decision to step down in favor of a candidate more able to perform the job to its highest standard and President Santos' decision to accept Mr. McGarry's resignation."

Leo walks towards Annabeth.

"This is an unprecedented situation, Ms. Schott. Is there concern for the stability of this very newly elected administration?"

"It is far from being unprecedented. Before 1967, the office of Vice President was vacant 16 times due to deaths, resignations and assumptions of the President's office. And yet here we are. It appears that our Republic is well able to tolerate this very scenario."

"Annabeth, I swear to God, if you don't kiss me right now…"

"Leo, I swear to God, if you take one more step towards me right now, Secret Service will have to rescue you."

"Right," Leo takes two steps backwards.

"Better yet, Leo, sit down."

Leo sits. Annabeth sits down next to him.

"Do you know the difference between how I make you feel about you and how you feel about me?"

"Rephrase the question, please, Ms. Schott."

"Are you involved with me because of how I make you feel about you or because of how you feel about me? I ask, Leo, because you ran. When your feelings about yourself spiraled after Jenny's death, you left me."

"I can't deny that the fact of your wanting to be with me was initially a pretty big ego boost. I liked seeing myself through your eyes. But that was quickly replaced by different feelings."

Annabeth looks at him suspiciously, "Lust?"

"No. That was always there. Is very much still there."

She ignores him.

"Then by what, Leo?"

"By the realization that I can't be in a room that you are in and see anyone else. By the sure and certain knowledge that I have never before, and am damn unlikely to ever again, meet anyone with whom I am so utterly at home. And the very fact that our relationship is so improbable is precisely what makes me so certain it's real. We have nothing in common to bind us. Our relationship can't be explained by the illusion of compatibility manufactured by shared memories of the same home town, the same lousy first job or, Christ, even the same generation. You could tell me to go to hell and walk out the door right now, Annabeth, and it wouldn't change anything. I do not feel the way I feel about you because of some reflected positive glow you cast on my own self regard. I feel the way I feel about you because of who you are, and who we are together."


	17. To Run Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's decision to resign was not as sudden as he led Annabeth to believe. The actual timing has serious consequences.

"That…that was a good answer, Leo."

"It's the truth."

She reaches up and runs her hands through her hair.

Leo looks at her, "I love when you…"

Annabeth drops her hands. "We're not done here, Leo."

Leo smirks and sits back in his chair, "Okay."

"Months ago, before the election, I spent the night in your guest room. Do you remember?"

"Of course."

"The next morning, we were sitting in your kitchen and you tried to tell me something."

"Yes."

"And I stopped you. I stopped you because I thought you were going to tell me that you had feelings for me and I didn't want to hear it then because we were working together."

Leo looks directly at her, poker faced.

"So I spoke to you about wanting to win the campaign, and how much I knew you wanted to win it. And so how much you would not want the distraction of a…of a whatever with me…in the midst of it."

Leo shifts in his chair, "Yes."

"But, Leo. You…you were going to tell me something else."

Leo is silent.

"You were going to tell me that we could…that something with us was possible because…"

"Annabeth, I was going to tell you that I had feelings for you."

"Something Leo McGarry would only do…a risk he would only take if he knew that the campaign, the ticket, the West Wing would not be compromised."

Leo reaches for her hands, "Annabeth…"

Annabeth stands up.

"Why would you want to be Vice President? It's a position with no real power, and you are a power broker. A deal maker. You're not a ribbon cutter…"

Leo stands up, "Let me…"

"You had run the White House for eight years, carried your best friend and a man you admire above all others to the Presidency, and advised him through two terms."

She turns to him.

"Jenny's death did not spur you to this decision. You made this decision before the campaign even started."

"Annabeth, that's not…"

"Tell me it's not true, Leo."

"It's…I didn't make the decision alone."

Annabeth sits down on the floor, the weight of what she is hearing hitting her. She buries her head in her hands.

"It made no sense…what you said. The part about the guilt and the grief – that made sense. That Jenny's death would make you revisit your feelings about her, about your marriage – that makes sense. But, it would never… it would have no bearing on your decision to be Vice President. There is no way that Leo McGarry walks away from office because he's just so sad."

Leo moves towards her, kneels in front of her, "Annabeth, please."

"No! No!"

She stands up and pushes him away.

"I genuinely do not know what the fuck is going on here, Leo. I don't know why you would start something with me, make me feel…and then run from me only to drag me back and lie to me. And lie to me about the death of your ex-wife. Jesus Christ!"

Leo grabs her arms, "Annabeth! I didn't lie to you."

Annabeth stares at him, "Are you…are you insane? You've been lying to me for…the entire time. I have to…I need you to let go of me, Leo."

She looks down at his hands on her arms.

"I need to get out of this room. Now."

Leo lets go. "Annabeth, I am begging you…"

She grabs her bag and coat and starts to walk out of the room.

"Matt knew, Annabeth. Matt and Jed. We did this together."

Annabeth stops. Her arms droop wearily and her bag drops to the floor.

"Vinick was a serious challenger. There was a really good chance that we would lose, that the Republicans would take the White House. Matt was the man who would make the best President, but he could not beat Arnie Vinick, a man with decades of experience and expertise, without help. I could give him that help. But, you're right, I did not want to be Vice President. You saw what I was like out on the campaign trail. I am not built for retail politics. And I am certainly not built to occupy an office whose only power emanates from the possibility that the guy ahead of him in line might drop dead.

So, I refused. Jed was angry, at first. He thought I was abandoning my responsibilities, putting myself ahead of party, of country. But, he finally understood that I would not do it. And that's when he talked to Matt. Matt agreed to it. He's the real deal, Annabeth. He reminds me of President Bartlet in a lot of ways. He knew he could BE President without me. But, he also knew he could not GET TO BE President without me.

So, we agreed to run together. To run together, but not to govern together."

Annabeth walks out of the room. Leo falls, heavily, into his chair.


	18. In Possession of Information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth responds angrily to what she's learned about Leo's decision to resign as Vice President. Leo tries to hold on.

The sound of shattering glass from the hallway. Leo runs into the hall. Annabeth is standing there, hands gripping a side table, a vase of flowers lying, smashed, at her feet.

Leo rushes over to her, "Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

Annabeth is trying to take deep breaths. She whirls around, and hits him. She flings her bag and coat onto the ground.

"How am I supposed to…what the hell am I going to do with what you just told me?"

"That's why I did not tell you, Annabeth. Knowing the truth makes your job impossible. Knowing the truth weighs you down, forever, with information you wish you did not have."

Annabeth looks up to the ceiling and screams, "FUUUUCK!"

"Leo, this is. This cannot be happening. Together with the former President and the current President of the United States, you conspired to win an election, knowing full well that you would not honor the results of that election."

"The American people voted for a vision of America, Annabeth, not for Leo McGarry. They are going to get what they voted for."

Annabeth looks right at him, "That's a lovely justification for election fraud."

"Annabeth. I did not. We did not commit election fraud!"

"No? What the hell would you call it?"

"We ran a campaign. We outlined a vision for America that only Matt Santos could deliver. And Matt is going to deliver."

"But you knew. You knew you would not be there to do it with him."

"Yes. I knew. And so did he. But, Annabeth, how is that different from…what if I had had a heart attack? On Election Night? And Matt had gone into office without me. How is that different from what is happening now? The American people would have elected a ticket, and they would have gotten what they voted for, even if I was not there to take the victory lap."

"The difference, Leo, is that you would not have CONSPIRED to have a heart attack!"

"So don't know that, Annabeth."

"What?"

"Don't know that. Operate with the information that every other person on the planet besides me, Matt and Jed knows. I am resigning the Vice Presidency effective tomorrow. The outcome is the same whether I decided before or I decided this week. Just don't know how the outcome was arrived at."

"That's kind of impossible now, don't you think?"

"And so we return to why I did not tell you the truth."

"You want me to thank you? For lying to me?"

Leo looks down, "No."

"Okay. Jesus. Okay." Annabeth covers her face with her hands and starts to pace. "I am in possession of information that would destroy an American presidency."

She looks at Leo.

"Actually, two American presidencies since Jed Bartlet was still President when the three of you…"

Leo looks back at her, "Yes."

"And I am supposed to show up for work tomorrow, at the goddamn White House, knowing none of this, and parrot talking points that announce and explain your resignation.

And, simultaneously, I am being asked to process the fact that the man I thought I was in…that the man I was in a relationship with abandoned me for a month, had me kidnapped by armed guards and brought to his compound, only to lie to me and manipulate…make me feel sorry for him because he experienced a crisis of conscience brought on by his ex-wife's untimely demise…"

"Annabeth. I lied to you about the reasons for my resignation. I had reasons for that. Reasons that I think you are experiencing right now. But I did not lie about my reaction to Jenny's death. It threw me. It did shove me into a dark, dark place, and it did make me question whether I should even talk to you, much less touch you, because I might very well drag you into the darkness with me. I think you are seeing exactly why I do not trust myself to be in a relationship. I hurt the people who get close to me."

"Why did you, Leo? Why did you get involved with me and let me think that I meant something to you? No, you know what. Forget those questions. I can't trust the answers, anyway."

Leo steps in front of her. "Stop."

"What?"

"Stop performing that role."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You aren't some wide-eyed ingenue, Annabeth. You might fool other people. The pink, the hair. But not me. Don't ask those questions like you don't know the answer. You don't look to other people to help you see, or to explain the world.

You don't need me to tell you the truth about us. Or about anything else. You know the truth. You have the gift of instinct. Of seeing the world more clearly and faster than other people. So, you tell me. Is what we are together – the way we feel about each other – is it the truth or a lie?"

Annabeth meets his gaze angrily. "It's the truth."

Leo takes her face in his hands, "Yes."


	19. The Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo's resignation is announced. Josh and Toby, Annabeth and Julia and the Bartlet's respond.

The Next Day. The announcement of Leo's resignation has been made.

Josh's Office

His cell rings. 

"Toby."

"Josh. What the hell is going on?"

"He's resigning, Toby."

"Is it because of…the thing we talked about…the John Hoynes thing?"

"No. I was wrong about that. I think it was just…it was just that night, I think. She's not part of the picture."

"So what then?"

"He just can't do it."

"Leo McGarry is telling you he can't do something he said he'd do."

"Yeah."

"Is he sick, Josh? Did he have another?"

"No."

"Okay. So he's just…"

"Yeah."

"Do you guys have a plan? What's the plan?"

"We've got a short list. The President had a list. We'd thought about this. You know, with Leo's heart attack and everything. The President knew it was a possibility that we'd need a nominee."

"Yeah."

"You know what's weird, though, Toby? When I brought Leo's name forward, you know, to the President? I expected him to object more. Like, with Leo's health history, how closely he's associated with Bartlet and the administration. I thought he'd want to go in a different direction, and I'd need to do the full court press to get Leo on the ticket. But, he just said yes."

"He trusts you, Josh."

"Yeah. And now here we are. I feel like I led him wrong."

"Santos had no understanding of how to run a presidential campaign. He took good advice on a running mate. Leo helped you guys get there."

"Yeah. Anyway. I gotta go."

Annabeth's Office

Her cell phone rings.

"Jules."

"Annabeth! I'm just leaving work and I'm listening to the news on the radio. What's happening?"

Annabeth closes the door to her office. "He's resigning."

"Did you know?"

Annabeth looks towards her door, "Yes."

"When?"

"Before it was announced."

"Because you were told. As part of your job."

Annabeth is silent.

Julia's voice drops, "You've seen him."

"Yes."

"And?"

"And it's complicated, Jules"

"Are you still…"

"I don't know."

"Why did he run?"

Annabeth sighs, "Baggage from the marriage. He was not a great husband. Her death kicked up a lot of things he couldn't handle."

"Uh-huh. We've all got a lot of baggage."

"Yeah."

"Doesn't mean we treat people like they're disposable."

"Yeah. I know."

"You wouldn't run."

"Don't be so sure, Jules."

"You mean Mom?"

"Well, it's not like I've been too present."

"That's different."

"Is it, Jules?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Is that why he's resigning? Baggage from a marriage?"

"No."

"It's really because of his health?"

"It's because of his own concerns about his health and his ability to do the job."

"Way to give me the same answers as I just heard on the news. I'm supposed to have an inside track. The neighbors are gonna be bummed I can't tell them about, like, the secret, real reasons. Maybe involving the Illuminati…" Julia laughs.

Annabeth closes her eyes.

"By the way, when the news cut to you, and you did your thing, you were amazing. So poised. And your answers were so good. I mean, I know you practice and it's your job, but still…"

Her eyes still closed, Annabeth tightens her grip on the phone. "Thanks, Jules. I gotta go. I love you. Tell Bill the same."

Bartlet's home in New Hampshire.

Jed is in the den, watching the news. 

Abbey walks in, stands behind the couch. "It's happened."

"Yeah"

"Who's the new guy gonna be?"

"Matt has a list."

"Uh-huh."

"It's not perfect, Abbey, but it's how the sausage gets made."

"I talked to Annabeth."

Jed takes off his glasses and turns to her. "When? Why?"

"About a week ago. In DC. When I was visiting Zoey."

"And?"

"She said something. She said that when she saw Leo at the Inauguration, something was different. I told her Leo was the same."

"Abbey, you don't think?"

"No, of course not, the announcement hadn't been made."

"But?"

"You saw it when they were here, Jed. A lot of smart, funny, capable and beautiful women have failed to get Leo's attention."

Jed nods, "And so what's different about this smart, funny, capable, beautiful woman?"

"I think there's some darkness there. She's got depth, certainly, but it's more than that. I think she and Leo are more alike than anyone would think."

"She's a ray of sunshine, Abbey."

"The sun, Jed, is powered by a core so dense it undergoes constant nuclear fusion."


	20. Georgia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth needs to talk to someone, but what she knows can't be shared. She flies home to talk to the one person she knows she can trust with her secrets.

The following weekend: Annabeth has flown to Georgia, ostensibly to surprise Julia and Bill and give them a break from caring for her mom. Julia was surprised to see her given everything going on at work, but grateful for the chance to get away.

Julia and Bill are getting ready to leave. Julia is putting sticky note instructions on the fridge and near the phone... "We'll be back in the morning. But promise you'll call if something goes wrong, or you just need help or something."

"Jules, we're going to be fine."

"I cannot believe you're here and doing this, Annabee!"

"Yeah, I'm a regular Mother Theresa."

Bill calls from the driveway. Julia looks a little frazzled, but happy. "Ok. Yeah. We're going. See you tomorrow!"

Annabeth closes the door and leans heavily against it.

She walks to her mom's bedroom.

Her mom is sitting near the door, "Julia?"

"No, Mom, it's me, Annabeth."

"Who?"

"It's me, Mom, I'm just home for a quick visit."

Annabeth's mom gestures around the room, "I don't like this."

"Don't like what, Mom?"

Her mom is frustrated. "The…it's all broken."

"I think it's ok, Mom. It doesn't look broken to me."

More frustrated, Annabeth's mom shouts, "You have to fix it!"

"Okay, Okay. Let me…I'll try, okay?"

Annabeth walks over to the other side of the room and picks up the remote control to the TV. She walks back.

"Here, Mom, this thing wasn't working, but it is now."

Her mom looks suspiciously at the remote.

Annabeth clicks on the TV. "Do you want to watch TV?"

"No. It's…it's broken."

Annabeth clicks off the TV. "Ok. How about…" She turns on the radio. "How about this?"

Her mom loosens her grip on the chair and Annabeth asks, "do you like this?"

She flips through a few stations. "Mom, do you remember this one? This is the station you used to listen to all the time when I was a kid."

Her mom looks blank, but she's not agitated.

"Okay. We're going to go with this one."

Otis Redding's Sitting on the Dock of the Bay plays softly.

"I need to talk to you, Mom"

Her mom glances in her direction and then returns to staring straight ahead.

"There's a lot going on for me right now and I have no one to talk to. There's really no one I can go to with what I have to talk about. But, I need to say it out loud."

Her mom reaches for the radio and pulls it into her lap.

"Okay. That's fine. You can listen to that and I'll just talk, okay?"

Annabeth sits down on her mom's bed.

"I got involved with Leo McGarry during the campaign. I didn't decide to be with him, Mom. There wasn't a moment. In fact, it was like there was never even a question to be answered. I could push on the edges of who he and I were going to be; I could try to control some of the timing or the circumstances, but that was it.

Our relationship is the most honest thing I have ever done in that it's like breathing. You don't think about breathing; you don't ask other people if breathing is a good idea; you don't question the choice to breathe. Being with Leo McGarry has felt like the truest line to who I am.

Continuing to be with him means trusting myself above everything and everyone else.

Because if anyone else…I don't know how I would explain this to anyone else."

She looks over at her mom, who is still just sitting there with the radio in her lap.

"The minor stuff, Mom, is ditching me for a month and wrestling his own demons about his marriage and addiction and what he chose to prioritize his entire life."

Annabeth laughs, "That's the minor stuff. And I was actually okay with that part."

She looks at her mom. "I get running away when you feel too much..."

Annabeth stands up and walks over to her Mom's dresser and runs her hand over the tops of a few framed photos.

"We had to deal with some power dynamic stuff, but…well, that got addressed." She shakes her head and stares at the ground.

"He…he did something, Mom. And there's a lot that's bad about it. But the worst part, for me, is that I understand. He couldn't tell me the truth. If it had just been something he had done I think he would have."

She stops and thinks for a second. "I know he would have. It involved other people, though, and he wouldn't betray them...When he asked me to let him be the press and for me to answer as Press Secretary...The questions he asked me: 'Is the speed with which the Santos administration is responding to this an indication that it was aware of VP McGarry's intentions… Do Pres Santos and VP McGarry not respect the will of the people?...'

He was preparing me. He was having me practice answers in case the truth emerged. He was telling me the truth, in his own way. And he was giving me what I would need to do my job. It was loving, in its own dark and deceptive way. Loving as filtered through Leo McGarry."

Annabeth sits back down on the bed.

"And then he did tell me the truth. When I was going to walk out of his house, he told me the truth. He told me something that could destroy him, destroy his best friend and the current President.

He did that because it was better than losing me. And because he knew I could take it.

And it is better than losing him. And I can take it.

What does that say, Mom? What does that say about me?"

Her mom turns up the radio.

Annabeth laughs, "Yeah, I'm tired of listening to myself talk, too."

She shouts over the high-volume of The Beatles 'Here Comes the Sun': "I'm gonna shut up and just breathe!"

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun Here comes the sun, and I say It's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun Here comes the sun, and I say It's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun Here comes the sun, and I say It's all right


	21. Houston

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna and Annabeth join the Santos' in Houston for some much needed time away from D.C.

Four weeks later (middle of March) Donna and Annabeth have gone to Houston with the Santos family for the weekend. It's a chance for them all to decompress after dealing with the aftermath of Leo's resignation.

It's after dinner. Helen is walking her parents out. Donna, Annabeth, and Matt are sitting around the table. The Santos kids are audible in the other room, arguing about something.

Matt sighs and gets up, "Excuse me while I go regret procreating"

Helen catches him as he walks into the hall, "My mom wants to know if the kids wear bullet proof vests to school."

"What did you tell her?"

"That they're fine."

"Did that work?"

"No." Helen looks away. "I'd have to believe it for it to be convincing."

"Hey…" Matt turns her face back towards him. "They are going to be okay. And so are we."

Matt's phone rings.

"It's Leo. Give me just one sec."

Helen nods. She goes to deal with the kids.

"Leo! How are you?"

"I'm good, Matt. Been spending time with Mallory – that's always good."

"Yeah? That's great. Let her take care of you, Leo. She loves you and hasn't gotten to be with you much."

"Yeah… how are you guy's doing?"

"Good. We just had Helen's parents here. The kids made it through the meal without killing each other, and I deflected no less than 100 thinly veiled accusations from my mother-in-law that I was risking my entire family's life by becoming President."

"So, an unqualified success, then."

Matt laughs, "Yeah, I guess so"

"This isn't not going to be easy on any of you, Matt. In fact, it's just gonna get harder."

"I know."

"Helen ok?"

"I think so."

"Talk to her."

"I try to." He leans his head back against the wall. "All I do is talk, Leo. All day, every day. I talk to our team, I talk to the press, I talk to people that want things from us, and people we want things from. And I'm pretty good at it, you know?"

"Yeah."

"But I don't think I'm doing so well at talking to my own wife."

"Keep trying, Matt. All you can do is keep trying. I know it's hard when you can't…a marriage, it requires trust and when you can't share everything…"

"Yeah. It's not great."

"No."

"Give our love to Mallory."

"I will. Have a good night, Matt."

Later that night. Annabeth is in the Santos' guest room. She picks up her phone and dials.

"Leo…hey"

"Hey. I was just talking to Matt. Everything ok?"

"Yeah. Just my mom. Jules called this morning. Mom did a walkabout."

"Oh no. Did she get far?"

"No, Bill realized she wasn't in the house pretty quickly. They found her down by the school."

"Did she know where she was?"

"She recognized the school, but no idea how to get back to the house. Jules isn't sure she and Bill can keep doing this. They're worried she needs more help than they can give."

"Yeah."

"I think I'm going to need to go to Savannah in the next few weeks to check out places – nursing homes - with them. Would you want to…would you want to come with me?"

"To Savannah?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, I would."

Donna comes out of the bathroom and puts her stuff down on one of the two twin beds in the room.

"I gotta go, but we'll talk more about this, ok?" Annabeth hangs up.

Donna looks at her, "friend or family?"

"Friend"

"In Georgia?"

"No. D.C."

"I remember having friends."

Annabeth laughs, "Thanks!"

"I meant outside of work!" Donna smiles, "I'm going to Connecticut next weekend, though."

Annabeth raises her eyebrows. "With Josh? Like to his family?"

"Yep."

"Whoa."

"I know. It's terrifying."

"Do you think they're all like Josh?"

"Abrasive, emotionally stunted and obnoxious? Gosh, I hope so."

Annabeth laughs and adopts a full Tammy Wynette twang. "Stand by your maaannn..."

Donna sits down on the bed. "I love Josh. But, yeah, he's got some things."

"Everybody's got some things."

"Oh yeah, what are yours?"

Annabeth thinks. "Oh, I don't know. I guess just your run of the mill fear of intimacy coupled with a questionable willingness to accept bad behavior."

"Pretty standard."

Annabeth laughs as she carries her shower bag into the bathroom.

Donna waits until she has closed the bathroom door and then picks up Annabeth's phone. She looks at the last number dialed and puts the phone down.


	22. Rhombus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna acts on her suspicions. Annabeth and Leo have no idea.

The following Monday.

Donna walks in to Josh's apartment, "Hey!"

There's no answer. She looks down at her phone – no messages.

She walks over to Josh's computer and looks at it for a second. She sits down and turns it on. She stares at the screen and then shuts it down and stands up. She hovers behind the desk chair, nervously biting her lip. She sits back down, starts the computer back up and quickly navigates to Josh's contacts. She scrolls through until she lands on "M."

Talking to herself, she moves through the contacts. "Marbury, Mathis, Masterson, McBride, McGarry."

She stops. She reads Leo's cell phone number.

She turns off the computer and stands up.

That same night...Annabeth walks in the door of Leo's house

"Hey, Leo!"

Leo walks towards her from the kitchen, a dish towel in his hand. "Hey."

He cups her chin in his hand and kisses her.

"I hope you're hungry because I have made what can only be described as the world's most perfect dover sole meuniere…"

He starts to walk back towards the kitchen.

"Sounds amazing."

Leo calls back from the kitchen. "One day you'll be asked, 'if you could eat one thing for the rest of your life…' and you will remember this night and you will say 'Leo McGarry's dover sole meuniere'"

"You worried you're overselling it?"

Leo walks back into the room, two plates in his hand. "Not in the slightest. You want a drink?"

"Yeah. The hard stuff."

Leo smiles and pours her a glass of water. "You sure you don't miss alcohol?"

"I never really drank anyway."

"A fact I'll never understand."

They sit down at the dining room table.

"How was Texas?"

"It was good. It was nice to see Helen at home. The transition to the White House, public life, the whole First Lady thing. It's been hard, I think."

"Yeah. When I talked to him on the phone it seemed like Matt's struggling to help her."

Back at Josh's: Josh walks into his apartment

"Donna!"

"I'm in here!"

Josh walks into his bedroom. Donna is sitting on the bed surrounded by a bunch of papers.

"What are you…" Josh looks down at the papers. "Are those our campaign schedule sheets?"

"Yeah."

"You kept those?"

"You did."

"I did? Okay. But why are you looking at them?"

"They're memories, Josh."

"Yeah, of sleeplessness and panic."

Donna shifts the papers around.

"What are you looking for?"

Donna looks up. "It's stupid."

"What's stupid?"

"On the campaign trail. I thought there was something going on with Leo and Annabeth."

Josh stops undoing his tie. "Leo and Annabeth?"

"Yeah"

"Why did you think that?"

"Intuition, Josh. It's one of my many gifts."

"Uh-huh. And what do these campaign schedules have to do with that?"

"I don't know. I was just looking. They spent a lot of time together."

"Leo and Annabeth."

"Yes."

"And this matters to you why, Donna?"

"I like to know when I am right about things!"

Josh laughs. "Okay. Well, this wasn't something I could tell you before because…because Toby, because Toby thought it could be a John Hoynes thing and I had to not say anything."

Donna looks very confused.

Josh sits down on the bed and smiles conspiratorially, "Anyway, that doesn't matter now…on Election Night. I walked in on Leo and Annabeth."

"Walked in on them?"

"Yep"

"Like they were…"

"Well it wasn't like full frontal or something, but…yeah."

"Josh!"

Josh walks back over to his closet and starts taking off his jacket, tie, shoes.

Donna stares at his back. "But that's not why…I mean that doesn't have anything to do with Leo's resignation, right?"

"Nothing to do with it. First of all, Leo's reasons are health stuff. But, also, it was just that one night."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know things. And look, from like early January on, I was spending a lot of time with Leo and she was not…there was no one in Leo's life except some burly Secret Service dudes."

"She talks to him."

"What?"

"Annabeth. She talks to Leo. Like on the phone. When we were in Texas, we shared the Santos' guest room and she was on the phone with somebody and she asked them to go to Savannah with her and then when I asked her about it – something just didn't feel right. So I…I might have looked at her phone log."

Annabeth and Leo have finished dinner, and are sitting at the table

"That was really good, Leo."

"Have I ever lied to you?"

Annabeth looks right at him. "Too soon."

"Yeah." Leo stands up. "I got you something."

"Like a present?"

"No, like a bomb."

"I miss the Secret Service."

Leo hands her a box. It's a necklace and the pendant is a small silver rhombus.

"Leo! This is lovely."

She starts to put it on. He walks behind her as she lifts her hair and he closes the clasp.

"The diamond shape. It's…in mathematical logic, the rhombus stands for the possibility of an event."

Annabeth looks up at him. "Mathematical logic…You do know how to sweet talk a girl, Leo."

Leo sits back down next to Annabeth and faces her. "On Election Night. You said…"

"I remember, Leo."

"You've given me back possibility, Annabeth"

Josh's apartment

"Donna! That's…that's a little creepy."

"I like to know when I am right about things!"

"Okay. Well, I am never leaving my phone near you."

"Josh. You don't think it's weird?"

"Oh, I think it's weird. I think it is very weird to be discussing this. My retinas are still scarred from seeing Leo…"

"Josh, think about this. Leo and Annabeth get together while Leo is kind of her boss. You walk in on them. Within a few months, Leo McGarry, the most workaholic, political animal IN. THE. WORLD. walks away from the White House."

"You're saying what? That Annabeth Schott made him give up the Vice Presidency? That she threatened him?"

"I don't know. But does that sound much crazier than Leo giving it up on his own? It's Leo! It's like he has gills, and outside the confines of the White House or Capitol Hill, he can't breathe. And he just walks away?"

"I'm not…I'm not having this conversation, Donna. Leo had a heart attack. He barely survived. He takes one more for the team, goes through a grueling campaign, and then it's just too much. That's not impossible to believe. And it's way more believable than your crazy…gills…thing."

"Fine."

Josh looks again at the papers. "Where did you even find those?"

"Your closet."

"You realize that we work for the government that generally opposes phone tapping and illegal search and seizure?"

The next day: Josh's office

He picks up his phone and dials Toby.

"Hey Josh"

"Hey Toby. Listen. I gotta…I gotta run something by you."

"Okay"

"It's a little…it's a little out there."

"I have things I could be doing, Josh."

"Yeah. Okay. So, Donna. She went to Houston last weekend with the Santos' and she and Annabeth Schott shared their guest room and Donna overheard Annabeth on the phone with Leo."

"How did she know it was Leo?"

"She…it doesn't matter. It was Leo."

"Fine. Why do I care about this?"

"Does it…do you think it's weird at all that what happened on Election Night, the thing I told you about, that it happened and I saw it and then within a few months Leo resigns?"

"You said it wasn't a Hoynes thing."

"It wasn't. I mean, Leo said it was his health. That he just wasn't up to it."

"So that's what it is."

"Yeah, but Toby. It's Leo. They guy doesn't…it's not like we're talking about a guy with a lot of hobbies, you know? What does he do when he walks away? And have you ever known Leo to walk away from anything?"

"Yeah, booze, pills, a bad marriage."

"Okay. Well, yeah."

"My point, Josh, is that Leo walks away when it's not good. When he knows that something isn't good for him, or for other people."

"So you think…"

"I think you need to let this go. I think you need to stop listening to Donna and her insane conspiracy theories gleaned from overheard conversations that may or may not have even involved the person you think it involved."

Josh leans back in his chair. "Yeah. Okay."


	23. What Are You Wearing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth and Leo attend a black-tie fundraiser together. It's a private event, but their relationship may no longer be.

Early April

Annabeth is lying on the couch in Leo's study. She's reading through a stack of papers.

Leo walks into the room. "Just got off the phone with Jed"

Annabeth sits up. "You guys decided?"

Leo sits down next to her. "Yeah, I mean, it's what we were working on towards the end and…peace between Israel and Palestine…it's what matters most to Jed."

"And to you?"

"It's the biggest challenge there is. So, yeah, it appeals to me."

"So you guys will be what? Like consultants?"

Leo smirks. "Elder statesmen" He gets up from the couch and starts to walk out of the room. "There's a fundraiser thing I need to go to, as part of the new gig. Would you want to go?"

Annabeth looks up at him, "as your bodyguard?"

"I don't think a gun would fit under what I'd like to see you in…Would you like to go as my date?"

"You think that's a good idea?"

"I think it's as good a time as any, and it's a private event."

"Black tie?"

"Yep"

"I do love you in your tux"

The next week – Leo is standing in the front hall of his house, wearing a tux.

He calls up the stairs. "You ready?"

Annabeth comes down the stairs wearing a bright red halter gown. It grabs every curve of her body.

Leo puts his hand on the bannister. "You realize I have a heart condition."

Annabeth gets to the bottom of the stairs and twirls. "It's Oscar de la Renta"

Leo takes her hand. "It's…you're stunning."

Leo and Annabeth arrive at the event. They've just walked in when C.J. spots them.

"Leo! Annabeth!"

Leo grins, "C.J.! I didn't know you'd be here."

C.J. kisses Leo on the cheek. "I'm here with Danny. He's spent a lot of time in the Middle East, covering everything, and so he knows," she waves her hand around, "all these people." She looks at Annabeth "You look gorgeous!"

"So do you."

Danny walks over and joins them. "Leo! Annabeth! This is a surprise."

C.J. looks meaningfully at Danny. "Isn't it?"

Catching her tone, Danny turns to Annabeth "Want to accompany me to the bar?" He extends his arm.

"I'd love to."

Annabeth and Danny walk away

C.J. turns to Leo. "Leo McGarry! You look...different."

"I get sleep these days."

"No. That's not it. You look happy."

"Oh yeah?" Leo looks around the room.

"Leo! Look at me. Are you here with Annabeth? I mean, did you guys come together?"

"Yeah."

With a huge smile, C.J. squeezes Leo's hand. "I thought I was incapable of being surprised."

Leo smirks. "Join the club."

"When did…I mean, how long have you guys been seeing each other?"

"A couple of months."

"And you're happy."

Leo smiles and waits a beat, as if considering it. "Yeah. I am."

Later… Annabeth and Leo are dancing.

"There's more than a few people watching us, Leo."

"They're watching you." He spins them around to face the other side of the room.

"How many times have you been asked if you're here with me – with a breathy emphasis on 'with'?"

Leo laughs. "A few." He pulls her into his body.

"Whoa, cowboy"

"I'm a private citizen now, Annabeth. A private citizen in the company of a beautiful woman at a private event. If people have questions about that, they can ask."

The music ends. Leo and Annabeth separate. Leo takes her hand and they walk back to their table.

Later – as they are walking out to leave, joined by C.J. and Danny.

C.J. is laughing. "No, seriously, so my great aunt, my 90 year old great aunt is in town…"

Danny rolls his eyes. "Here we go."

"And Danny – his phone rings and it's my number…"

Danny shouts in mock exasperation. "It was her number!"

C.J. leans her head towards Annabeth and Leo. "He picks up the phone…and, his voice all deep and sexy, he goes "what are you wearing right now?"

Danny, Leo and Annabeth start laughing.

"And my…" C.J.'s having trouble finishing her sentence, she's laughing so much already. "My great aunt goes…"tweed!"

They all are really laughing.

Leo has his arm around Annabeth's waist, and she turns her body into his, kind of collapsing into him as she laughs, her head above his shoulder. He has a huge smile, as he looks towards C.J.

And then there is a series of flashes as photographers gather around the guests departing the event.


	24. Headlines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth and Leo's night out makes the headlines and Josh's radar.

Two days later…

Josh is sitting in his office looking at the paper. It's not on the front page, but soon after: the picture of Annabeth and Leo, laughing, his arm around her waist, her body turned into him. The headline reads: "Is this the former Vice President's Heart Trouble?"

He throws it down on his desk.

Donna walks into Annabeth's office in the East Wing, holding the newspaper. "That is a beautiful dress!"

Annabeth looks up from her computer. "Oh, god, yeah, I saw that this morning."

"Seriously, you look gorgeous."

"Thanks." Annabeth stands up from behind her desk, picks up a folder and starts to move towards the door.

"Were you…were you there with Leo?"

"Yeah, and C.J. and Danny."

"You all went together?"

"We met there."

"Did you leave together?"

"You're looking at the picture of all of us leaving, Donna!"

She walks out of her office.

Donna, trailing behind her, calls out, "Actually, I'm looking at the headline."

Annabeth's phone rings. It's Leo. She picks up and keeps walking through the East Wing.

"Hey, Leo"

"You seen it?"

"Yep, and so has everyone else here."

"Okay. Then I guess that's that."

"That's what?"

"We're public."

"You want me to acknowledge that we're…?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'm saying what, exactly?"

"That we're seeing each other. Socially."

"Socially?" Annabeth laughs. "Is that what we're calling it?"

"For this. For the people who are going to ask. Yeah."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later."

Late that night.

Josh is sitting in his office. He hears Matt come back into the Oval, Debbie handing him things to sign.

Josh gets up and walks into the Oval. Matt finishes signing and Debbie leaves the room. Josh is carrying the newspaper. He folds the paper over to the picture of Annabeth and Leo and the headline "Is This the Former Vice President's Heart Trouble?" and hands it to Matt.

Matt drops it on the desk. "Yeah, Helen showed it to me this morning."

Josh points at the headline. "And?"

"And what?"

"It doesn't look great."

Matt picks the paper back up. "I mean, the dress is a little last season."

"I'm serious Mr. President."

"You're serious about a…a page six gossip column?"

Josh digs the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I have to tell you something."

Matt sits down.

"Leo and Annabeth had a physical relationship during the campaign."

"I know."

"You…you know?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Helen figured it out. She's amazing at reading stuff like that."

"Yeah. So did Donna...but, listen, it's just…they get involved, it's a little questionable, Leo is a guy with a lot of power, she's…less powerful. And then the next thing we know, Leo's telling us he's resigning."

"What are you suggesting, Josh?"

"It's just…I don't know. Leo's decision. It bothers me. And maybe…"

"Maybe Annabeth Schott blackmailed Leo into giving up the Vice Presidency. But now they are also a couple attending events together and looking, I might add, damn happy about it."

"Yeah, look, I'm not saying this all makes sense."

"It makes no sense, Josh. I know Leo means the world to you and that you miss having him here, and cannot understand how he walks away, but you gotta see that what you're saying…It's ridiculous."

"Yeah."

"Leo resigned because he had a massive heart attack and this…place…" Matt gestures around the Oval. "Well, it's not great for your health."

"Yeah. Yeah. You're right. Sorry. I'm embarrassed I brought this to you." He goes to pick up the paper from Matt's desk.

Matt picks up the paper and looks again at the picture. "You gotta admit, Josh, Leo looks good. And Annabeth, well…"

Josh smiles. "Yeah. Leo McGarry is a god amongst men."

"You think he'd tell us how you get a woman to look at you like that?"

"There's no chance of that for me. Donna barely tolerates my…delightfully quirky personality."

Matt laughs. "This is a tough place for health and relationships."

"Yeah…. Everything ok with you and Helen? I mean, you know, if that's something that you want to…"

"You've never been married, right Josh?"

"No."

"Yeah. Well, I'm not sure I'd suggest it."

"We could talk about your schedule. I mean, if you think you need to be home more?"

"It's fine, Josh."

"Okay. Well, goodnight Mr. President."

"Goodnight, Josh."

Matt stands up, grabs his suit jacket off the back of the chair and heads towards the glass doors leading back to the residence. He steps outside, waves off Secret Service and takes his cell phone from his pocket.

"Jed…Josh is still unsettled about Leo's resignation…No, he actually thinks it has to do with Annabeth."


	25. Never Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth and Leo have some fun - of the clean and dirty variety.

TWO WEEKS LATER (early May)

Annabeth is at Leo's house. She's looking for something in his closet. She pulls a chair up so she can see the top shelf.

"Leo! You're sure it's in here?"

Leo walks into the room. "No."

Annabeth grabs stuff off the top shelf – which she can barely reach, much less see. She comes down with the game Battleship. "Well, well, well. Not what we are looking for, but a delightful surprise nonetheless. What are you doing in possession of a children's game, Leo."

Leo walks over to the closet to see what she's talking about. "Oh, yeah, I've moved so many times over the last few years that stuff just keeps getting put into boxes and I forget about it. That belonged to Mallory a thousand years ago. Must have come with me when I moved out of the house."

Annabeth climbs down from the chair. "Let's play!"

Leo walks away. "No."

"Leo! It will be fun."

"For who?"

Annabeth takes Leo's hand and walks with him into his study. "Remember when you lied to me about your entire life and I took you back? You owe me. Now sit."

Leo sits as Annabeth sets up the game boards. "Okay, Leo. You ready?"

"No." 

"Great. I'll go first."

They start to play. Annabeth wins.

"Look, Leo, I don't want to question your impressive record of military service, but it feels like you should be better at this."

"Yes. This is exactly what Vietnam was like."

Annabeth smiles. "Maybe if you put on a uniform…"

"You wouldn't be able to control yourself."

"And that would be a problem?"

"Set up the board, Schott. Double or nothing."

Annabeth wins again. She laughs, "I'm not saying I'm a military mastermind, but Matt might want to think about getting me in the situation room next time."

Leo's phone rings. "Thank Christ." He gets up and walks out of the room.

Annabeth shouts after him, "Admiral Schott, reporting for duty!"

She picks up the game boards and walks over to the closet to put them away when she stops and stands stock still. She thinks for a minute and then follows Leo into the living room. He's sitting on the couch, holding the phone up to his ear with his left hand. She looks closely at his hand.

He hangs up.

"Leo. You're not wearing your wedding ring."

Leo looks down at his hand. "Yeah."

"When did you take it off?"

"The night we went to the fundraiser."

"I can't believe I didn't notice…is it? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It was time."

"I guess it has been a few months now since Jenny died."

"That's not why I took it off."

Annabeth looks at him.

"I kept it on after Jenny and I got divorced because it was easier. It meant I didn't have to answer questions from people who didn't know me very well and because it didn't matter. It wasn't like I was seriously considering being with anyone else."

"And now?"

"Now I am."

Annabeth grins. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"She's in the Navy."

"Makes sense. You guys would have a lot in common if, you know, she was terrible at her job and lost her entire fleet – not once, but twice – to a superior military force."

"I'm going to kiss you now, Admiral Schott, but only to shut you up."

Annabeth closes her eyes. "Do that again. But not just to shut me up."

Leo holds her face in his hands and kisses her deeply. "Like this?" He backs her up against the door. "And like this?"

Annabeth whispers, "Yes"

Leo steps away from her to just look at her. He undoes his belt and reaches for her hand. He pulls her hand against him. "See what you do to me?"

Annabeth holds his gaze and runs her hand, lightly, over him. She watches as he closes his eyes and pushes himself against her hand. She moves her hands up and unbuttons his shirt, running her hands over his chest. He pushes her back against the door.

She takes his hand and guides him, his fingers cool against her wetness. "See what you do to me?"

Her jeans fall to the floor. She steps out of them and reaches again for Leo.

Leo grabs her waist and lifts her up against the door, pinning her with his body. She wraps her legs around his hips and pulls him into her.

His breath is fast in her ear. She wraps her arms around him, thrusting her hips harder into him, pulling him deeper into her.

Leo's voice is a low growl. "Annabeth. Slow."

She relaxes her hips. Leo lowers his mouth to her breasts.

"Oh, God, Leo..."

"Tell me what you want me to do to you."

"I want you to never stop."


	26. On The Record

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth fields personal questions at a press conference. Leo and Jed head to Israel.

Annabeth knocks on the door. Leo answers.

"I'm getting used to not seeing the Secret Service before I see you."

Leo kisses her and looks at the house plant in her hands. "What's that?"

"It's a ten point plan for peace in the Middle East."

"I've been looking for one of those."

Annabeth walks towards Leo's kitchen. He leans against the doorway as she waters the plant.

"Speaking of the Middle East…"

Annabeth laughs, "How often does that line actually work?"

Leo walks up behind her and puts his arms around her, kisses her neck. She leans her body back against him.

"Jed and I are going to Israel next week."

"Wow. For how long?"

"Five days."

Annabeth turns to face him. "You realize this is just a houseplant? It might take more than five days to actually create a plan for peace in the Middle East."

Leo smirks, "Yeah. We'll probably have to go back."

"This is exciting, Leo. I think this work is going to be amazing for you. And you and Jed together…I mean, what can't you do?"

"A number of things that I do with you."

"You'll just have to make a list of things you want to do with me when you get back." She hooks her fingers into his belt loops and pulls him to her. "And then we can compare it with my list."

"It's gonna be a long list."

"When do you leave?"

"Next Tuesday."

"Oh…damn."

"What?"

"Remember when we talked about you going to Savannah with me?"

"Yeah."

"I finally have time – the First Lady is going to California – and I am not on the trip, so I was going to fly home Monday night."

"I'm sorry, Annabeth. I did tell you I'd go with you."

Annabeth waves her hand dismissively. "It's no big deal. Seriously. You didn't know my timing and I can tell Julia that you're standing me up for Mahmoud Abbas."

"You're sure?"

"Leo. If you don't already know this about me, we're in trouble. I don't play games. If I say that it's fine, I mean it. No secret plans to passive-aggressively punish you before or after your trip."

Leo smiles. "Yeah."

"Let's just hope that Netanyahu is as bad at Battleship as you are."

Monday morning. Annabeth is finishing up a press briefing outlining the First Lady's trip to California and its relationship to her focus on connecting kids with nature.

"The First Lady will conclude her trip with a visit to the Outward Bound program site in Joshua Tree, before returning to San Francisco and her flight home."

"Will the First Lady be commenting on the death of many of the Joshua trees in the park and the role of climate change?"

"The First Lady will be visiting and commenting on the Outward Bound program and its laudatory impacts on generations of American youth who gain valuable insight into all of our wild spaces."

"Is Mrs. Santos likely to join the President in Texas after her trip?"

"No. The President will be visiting Texas as part of his initiative to increase America's alternative energy sector. It will not be a visit home."

"Will you be traveling with the First Lady?"

Annabeth looks out at the reporters gathered in the room. "No. I will be staying here with you lovely people."

"And Leo McGarry?"

Knowing laughter from the press.

"I don't believe Mr. McGarry is traveling to California with the First Lady either."

"Will you and Mr. McGarry be not traveling to California together, is what you and I are both aware that I meant."

Annabeth smiles. "Okay. Let's just get this out of the way. Mr. McGarry and I see each other. Socially."

"Is that on the record?"

"On the record? Our world-class press corps believes that my social calendar is news worthy? This is the death of investigative journalism, ladies and gentlemen."

"So that's a no?" The reporter is smiling, but Annabeth knows the question is real.

"I'm standing at the podium, guys. Pretty sure everything I say is on the record."

Tuesday: Jed and Leo are sitting on the plane

"Matt called me the other day."

Leo looks away from the window and over at Jed. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, it was after you and your dance partner hit the headlines."

"Uh-huh"

"Now's when you tell me that I was right all along and that you and Annabeth Schott are very much together."

Leo looks back out the window, but Jed continues "Jed, you were right and…"

Leo relents. "We're very much together."

"Yeah."

"You'll keep Abbey away from me?"

"Not a chance. And you don't need any help from me with anything. I saw the picture. And the dress. You're a lucky son of a bitch, McGarry."

Leo smiles. "Yeah"

"But Matt called. Josh had brought the paper into him."

"Josh? Why?"

"He had some half-baked conspiracy theory, courtesy of Donna Moss, that Annabeth had somehow blackmailed you into resigning."

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah."

Leo shakes his head. "What the hell is Josh thinking?"

"It's the father figure thing, Leo. Josh has always craved your attention and good opinion. And then you left him."

"The guy needs to get it together."

"Yeah. Look, Matt told him it was ridiculous. But neither of us like Josh being unsettled by your departure."

"No."

"Today it's Annabeth Schott and sexual harassment and resignation, but tomorrow…"

Leo nods. "Yeah."

"It's not a thing, but let's just keep an eye out, huh?"

"Yeah."

Jed puts his glasses back on and looks down at the binder in his lap. "Alright. Let's talk East Jerusalem and construction on the West Bank."


	27. Try Harder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt Santos makes an unexpected appearance at Leo's, and finds only Annabeth,

Thursday:

Annabeth is just walking in her door as the phone rings.

"Leo! It's like 2am for you."

"Yeah. Long day."

"Good day?"

"There are no good days addressing Gaza."

"Except that you live for this."

Leo smiles into the phone. "Yeah. How was Georgia?"

"Depressing. But okay. I got down late Monday and spent Tuesday touring places with Bill and Julia."

"Were any of them good?"

"Two. Julia and Bill are going to go back and get more information and we'll make some decisions."

"I'm glad you felt okay about it. Or, as okay as you can feel given the circumstances."

"Yeah."

"Your statement to the press made its way over here."

"Huh?"

Leo rustles some papers, as if reading from a newspaper. "Mr. McGarry and I see each other. Socially."

"Wow. Slow news day in Jerusalem?"

Leo laughs. "Abbey called Jed."

"That's good. I'd be concerned for the prospects of your success if my statement to the First Lady's press pool was bigger news in Israel."

"You getting heat over there?"

"The First Lady and Donna knew I was going to deal with it. Donna is running out of ways, though, to ask me about it without asking me about it."

"Yeah. Donna likes to know things."

"You think?" Annabeth laughs. "Donna and Josh…there's a reason they're together."

"I miss you."

Annabeth sits down on her couch and smiles. "I miss you, too."

"Alright. I gotta get some sleep."

"See you in a few days."

Matt and Helen Santos are in the residence.

"Helen! What do you want from me? I am trying to run a country. That does mean spending some time in the office!"

"It's not your physical absence, Matt. We have been through this."

She sits down on the couch and puts her head in her hands. "It's that even when you are here, you aren't here."

"I am here." Matt sits down next to her and takes her hand. "I am here."

"So much of your life now…I can't be a part of it, and it's harder than I imagined."

"There is no way to imagine this."

"Yeah. I just…I'd like to feel like we're still connected. I'm tired of feeling shut out."

"I'm trying."

Helen lets go of Matt's hand. "Try harder."

Following Sunday - Annabeth is at Leo's house.

There's a knock at the door and Annabeth checks her watch, surprised as Leo is not due back from the airport for another hour at least.

She opens the door to find the Secret Service. They move into the house and sweep through. Pres. Santos gets out of the SUV parked in Leo's driveway. The Secret Service nod as they walk past him, back out of the house and position themselves at the front door. Matt closes the door.

Annabeth is stunned. "Mr. President."

Matt looks around. "Where's Leo?"

"He's flying home tonight. He should be here pretty soon."

Matt nods. "You gonna invite me in?"

Flustered, Annabeth takes a few steps back into the hallway. "Of course…please."

Matt drops his suit jacket on the back of a chair as he follows Annabeth into the living room.

"I'm sorry. Was Leo expecting you?"

Matt laughs. "No."

"Okay."

"But you're here."

"Yes. I am. I'm just…" She takes a deep breath. "I'm often here, as I am sure you're aware."

"I'm happy for you both." Matt leans forward and rests his forearms on his knees. "Leo doesn't keep alcohol in the house, does he?"

"No. And sir, forgive me, but I think you've been drinking and maybe…"

"Yeah, probably just as well that there's nothing here."

"There's coffee. I'll make some for both of us."

Matt gets up and loudly proclaims, "Lead the way!" before following Annabeth unsteadily towards the kitchen.

Annabeth busies herself with the coffee maker, trying hard to ignore the President who is wandering around, randomly opening Leo's cabinets.

Matt walks into the hall outside the kitchen and looks at the photos on Leo's wall. "This is Leo in Vietnam?"

"Yeah. That's Ken O'Neal with him."

Matt comes back into the kitchen. "You know everything about Leo?"

"I doubt it."

"So do I."

Annabeth is uncomfortable, but smiles as she hands Matt a cup of coffee. She leans with her back against the counter.

Matt walks towards her. "You and Leo…"

"Yep."

Matt moves to now stand right in front of her. "You like men in positions of power, huh?"

"I like Leo. I'm not sure how much power comes into it. I am sure that Mrs. Santos loves you."

With a laugh like a bark, "Oh, you think so?" Matt steps too close to Annabeth, who is trapped between his body and the counter. He reeks of booze.

Before Annabeth can react, Leo is in the room. He grabs Matt's shoulder, spins him around and decks him. Matt stumbles backwards. Leo puts his body in between Matt and Annabeth.

"Get out."

Matt's hand is holding his cheek, his lip bloody. "Jesus. Leo."

"Get out of my house, Matt."

Matt slumps into one of the chairs at Leo's kitchen table and tilts his head back. He's staring at the ceiling.

Leo turns to Annabeth. "You ok?"

Annabeth nods.

Leo walks over to Matt. He grabs his elbow. Matt shakes him off and walks out of the house.

Shaking, Annabeth grabs the kitchen counter. "Thank you, Leo. How did you even know what was…"

"I got home and found the SUV in the driveway and Secret Service at the door. I heard your voices and then…"

"I don't know what he was doing here. He just showed up."

Leo nods. "He was drunk."

"Yeah."

"Jesus." Leo flexes his hand open and closed. He turns to Annabeth and takes her face in his hands.

"I'm okay, Leo. I was planning on kneeing him in the balls."

"You were going to knee the President of the United States in the balls?"

"I was going to knee the drunk guy accosting me, in the balls."

"Yeah."

"This is not great, Leo."

"No."


	28. Pretend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pres. Santos talks to Annabeth and Leo

The next day

Annabeth is in her office when she receives a call asking her to come to the West Wing.

She hangs up and takes a deep breath.

Debbie brings Annabeth into the Oval Office. "Mr. President, Annabeth Schott is here."

Matt looks up from his desk. "Thanks, Debbie. Annabeth, please." He indicates the doors leading out to the walkway to the residence.

They walk outside.

"I have never been so ashamed of myself. We both know that I had been drinking. A lot. But, that is no excuse. I don't really know what to do here other than apologize profusely and beg your forgiveness."

"I don't think either of us have much choice, Mr. President, but to pretend like the entire thing never happened."

"What?"

"You're the President of the United States, Sir, and I work for your wife and this administration. Nothing good comes of our acknowledging last night."

"That's…that's okay with you?"

"No. But, although I would not believe you if you told me you are not the sort of man who does this, because you did do it, I am choosing to trust my own judgment of you. And I don't think that the way you were last night is normal for you. This will stay between you and me, Mr. President. But know that if I become aware of this happening to anyone else – of you treating any other woman the way you treated me – I will say something."

Matt is very surprised and uncertain, but he nods. "Yes."

They both hear voices inside the Oval Office and Annabeth does not want to end the conversation in any way that will attract attention. "Thank you, Mr. President."

Josh is walking in as Annabeth walks out. He looks back at her and then looks questioningly at the President. "Was that Annabeth?"

"Yeah. I had some things I needed to…Anyway. What's up?"

Josh looks a little confused, but moves onto their priorities for the day.

That night

Leo calls Annabeth as he's getting in the car on the way to a fundraising dinner

"You talked to him?"

Annabeth sounds tired. "Yeah."

"Are you ok? How did it go?"

"As well as it could. I don't need an enemy in the President of the United States."

"He is the one who did something wrong. He should be worried about you, Annabeth."

"I don't want him worried. Scared people are more dangerous than confident ones."

"Yeah, but..."

"And scared Presidents are especially dangerous. He's not in a good place, Leo. I guess that's obvious."

"Yeah. Josh, too."

"Josh?"

"Josh doesn't like not knowing things and he's too close to a lot of things he doesn't know not to be unsettled. Are you sure you're okay? I can skip this thing."

"I'm fine, Leo. I promise."

"Okay. I'll talk to you later."

Leo hangs up and makes another call.

President Santos picks up. "Leo, I wasn't sure how to…how to reach out to you."

"Yeah."

"I'd like to apologize, obviously. But, having you at the White House or…it's not like I can go anywhere without attracting…"

"You made it to my house just fine last night."

"Leo. Truly. I am so sorry."

"When are you next in Texas?"

"Just after the 4th of July."

"I'll come to you."

"To Houston?"

"Yeah. We need to talk, Matt, and it's easier there."

"Yeah. Sure."

Leo hangs up.


	29. Get Back Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo goes to Houston to talk to President Santos

Houston after the 4th of July

Leo is at the Santos'. He and Matt are in the backyard. Helen and the kids are leaving with Helen's parents to go to a party at the neighbor's house.

"It was good to see you, Leo."

"You too, Helen. Enjoy the party."

"Yeah, nothing like bringing an entire SWAT team with you to say 'Happy birthday!' to a ten year old."

"The kids don't notice after a little while."

"I guess I wish I was a kid, then." She squeezes Matt's hand. "See you later."

Leo and Matt watch Helen walk back into the house. They sit down on the Santos' patio.

"Helen's struggling with this life."

"Yeah."

"I need you to talk to me, Matt"

Matt sits back in his chair and rubs his face. "I don't know what to tell you, Leo. It's good to see you, but it's also hard to see you. The last time we saw each other…not a time I am proud of."

"I'm still struggling with it too."

"I knew this was going to be hard, but I feel like I'm drowning. And the night I showed up at yours. You have to believe that I came there for you. I had no idea you were out of the country or that Annabeth would be there."

"Why did you come looking for me?"

Matt stands up and looks into his yard, away from Leo. "Who the hell else can I talk to, Leo? There are, what, 42 other men in the world who know what it is like to be me, and most of them are dead."

"You started drinking?"

"No. I mean, yes, the night I ended up at your house. But, no, not regularly."

Leo nods. "Ok"

Matt turns to face him, "I talked to Annabeth."

"Yeah, she told me."

"She wanted to forget it."

"Yeah."

"I felt like a monster, Leo. I woke up the next morning and I couldn't…I went to shave and I looked in the mirror and my lip was busted and I just…I couldn't believe it was me."

"I wanted to do much more than bust your lip."

"Yeah. I deserved much more. Is Annabeth really ok?"

"I think so."

Matt sits back down. "What the hell do I do, Leo? How do I…how do I not totally lose myself in all of this?"

"What's the hardest part?"

"The isolation. I can do the job. I can be a good President. But, a good man? A good husband? It feels like it's…like I'm shouting at my real life from inside a locked cockpit."

"Your Chief of Staff is meant to be your lifeline, Matt. He's meant to be your connection back to your life before all of this. He pushes you forward as President and he pulls you back as a man. You chose Josh. Use him."

"Josh…he's…uncertain."

"You both are. But, if you lean on each other, you get steadier. Josh is a good guy. It's why you chose him. Yeah, he gets in his own head too much, but he wants to be your guy. And if you let him in, if you make him your guy, he'd walk through fire for you."

"He's never been married, Leo. I can't talk to him about…"

"So don't. Talk to Helen about that."

Matt looks at Leo.

"Talk to Josh about everything you need to leave behind in the Oval. And talk to Helen about everything else. She didn't fall in love with you as President. You guys share a lot more than that."

"You make it sound easy, Leo."

"It's not easy. But, did you really think being the leader of the free world was going to be easy?"

Matt looks away. "Why'd you get divorced, Leo?"

"It wasn't my idea."

"Why'd Jenny leave you?"

"Because she deserved better."

"So, she made the right decision. Leaving you."

"Yes."

"Do you think if she had been different it would have worked, or was it really all you?"

"I think I chose someone I could be absent from. I didn't see that until later. But, that was not Jenny's fault."

"I don't want to be absent from Helen."

"So then don't be."

Matt laughs ruefully.

"I gotta ask, Matt. Does any of this have to do with our situation? The campaign and the deal?"

"You worried I'm cracking up? A danger to the deal?"

"Maybe"

"No, Leo. My issues right now are firmly rooted on the home front. I've got no qualms about what we did. You were my running mate, and we told America what Matt Santos would do as President. And I am going to do those things. I've got no regrets about beating Arnie Vinick and taking America in a better direction."

"Good."

"I've been falling, Leo, but I'm going to get back up."


	30. I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Annabeth talk moral limbo and love.

Leo calls Jed after leaving Matt and Helen's house

"You in Houston?"

"Yeah, just left the house. Headed to the airport."

"How'd it go?"

"I'm less worried than I was."

"And Annabeth?"

"She seems fine. But, c'mon, the President tries to take advantage of you. How fine can you be?"

"She's tough, but yeah. And how about you?"

"I could have killed him, Jed. When I saw him in the kitchen."

"Yeah."

"But, how many things have I done that I wish to God someone could erase from memory?"

"Not like this."

"No."

"But you think he pulls up?"

"I do."

"Ok."

"There are days, Jed, and this is one of them, when I wonder what we let the world do to us. How many conversations have you and I had over the years, parsing shitty behavior and trying to contain the damage?"

"The world doesn't do that to us, Leo. That's on us."

"And that's worse."

"You ever met a saint, Leo? I haven't. We wait around for perfect men and we're going to be waiting a long time."

Leo and Annabeth are home that night

They're sitting on Leo's patio. Annabeth has her legs extended into Leo's lap.

Leo looks up at the sky. "I thought starting a new thing, you know, outside of the White House or D.C. in general would get me out of feeling like I needed to take a shower after conversations."

"Do you think there's any place in the world that isn't a moral gray zone?"

Leo looks back to her. "Right here. With you."

Annabeth smiles. "A politician's answer."

"You don't think I mean it?"

"I think we are complex and flawed. I think that's the necessary outcome of being human."

"And so what? That means there's no way to be good?"

"Of course there is. We just don't always take it. C'mon Leo, you of all people know this."

"I just…I'm down in Houston, Annabeth, counseling a guy who hurt you."

"He didn't hurt me, Leo. He scared me. And there's no excuse for what he did, but it's not the totality of Matt Santos' story."

"You think he's a decent guy?"

"I think he's like the rest of us. And I think you know that, but you also want me to know you're not okay with what he did, and that's what this conversation is about."

"I'm not okay with what he did."

"Neither am I. And nor was I okay when Josh called me into his office like I was an errant schoolgirl and he was the headmaster."

"But?"

"But you are a guy who drank too much and swallowed too many pills and hurt people close to you. And I am a woman who runs from her sick mother and lets other people deal with it. And Dr. Abbey Bartlet conspired with her husband to conceal a serious medical condition. We aren't the sum of our worst decisions, Leo."

"I wouldn't mind if more people were the sum of their good ones."

Annabeth stands up and pulls Leo out of his chair. "It's late. Let's go to bed." Holding hands, they start to walk into the house. Annabeth stops them. She steps in front of Leo.

"I love you, Leo McGarry. I need you to know that."

Stunned, Leo just stands there.

"If I'm going to make it through this complex, flawed world with anybody, it's you."

Leo starts to say something, and Annabeth stops him.

"You don't need to say anything. I always think that if someone says 'I love you' right back it's because it's the only thing they can say. If you love me too, that's good." She smiles. "But, tell me some other time."


	31. 52 Cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Jed have a heart to heart on the plane back from Ireland.

Leo and Jed are in Ireland at a conference on civil war. Jed is mid-speech to the assembled guests.

"Together with former UN, EU and US leaders, I will be working on creating a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. This was a central priority of my foreign policy during my time in office, and remains a priority now. My fellow former leaders and I believe the international community has a vital role to play in helping Israelis and Palestinians reach a lasting solution. We support the Arab Peace Initiative, originally proposed in 2002. This calls for normal, peaceful and secure relations between Israel and the Arab world, in return for Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, and a just solution to the refugee problem.

I am particularly proud to be joined in this effort by Ireland's own Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ireland's own history of civil unrest predicated on religious difference demonstrates the possibility for reconciliation. The peaceful co-existence of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is a testament to what can be accomplished through diplomacy, good governance and justly applied rule of law. Thank you all."

Jed leaves the stage to the sound of applause. Leo is waiting backstage.

"Felt good, Leo."

"Yeah. Back in the spotlight."

"I was referring to the speech, but if you want to suggest this is an ego trip…"

"Speech was great."

"Thank you."

"Of course, since I wrote part of it, my compliments are a little hollow."

"I take what I can get. Are we outta here?"

"Yeah. This was the last thing. We'll meet with Mary and the others in London next month."

Jed and Leo are sitting on the plane. Jed looks up from the book he is reading. "Lakhdar's point about addressing the legacy of the Balfour Declaration was a good one."

Leo responds a little vaguely. "Yeah."

"That we all recognize it as a starting point, I mean. Addressing the colonial legacy there."

"Yeah."

"We should arrange some time just with him when we're in London. The Algeria parallels – I think we ought to look to him to provide some guidance."

Looking down at his phone, Leo nods. "Absolutely"

"Or maybe we should just nuke 'em…just sail a nuclear sub right up the Red Sea."

Leo keeps nodding. "Yeah"

"Leo!"

Leo's head snaps back up. "Sorry. Yes. Algeria. Yes."

"But not the part about a pre-emptive nuclear strike?"

"What?"

"Do you want to tell me what you would like to talk about, Leo? Since it's clearly not what I'm talking about."

"Sorry. I just…I was thinking about getting back to DC and some things I need to say. Or do."

"I'm assuming this is more than mentally reviewing a grocery list."

"Yeah… before we left, Annabeth…she said something and I didn't. She told me not to, but I could have later and I didn't, and then, you know, we left for Ireland and..." He shakes his head and looks out the window.

"For the sake of my sanity, could we talk specifics here?"

Still looking out the window, and kind of vaguely tuned into Jed, Leo shrugs. "Maybe I should talk to Abbey, or…"

"Do you think I'm not capable of having a conversation with you about you and Annabeth? I am! I can talk about feelings. I'm a modern man."

Leo looks back at Jed. "This is a thing we're gonna do?"

"Yes. We are two men, Leo, and we are going to talk about your relationship. We can do this."

Leo takes off his glasses and looks straight ahead. Jed does the same. They are intent on not looking at each other.

Leo clears his throat. "A few weeks ago, Annabeth told me that she loved me."

"Okay."

"And I was a little stunned in the moment, and then she told me she didn't want me to say anything because she thinks the only thing you can do in that moment is say I love you back and maybe you wouldn't mean it, so..." He glances quickly over at Jed.

Jed continues to stare straight ahead. "So you didn't say anything."

"Right."

"And then you kept not saying anything."

"Right."

"But now you think you need to say something."

Leo nods. "Yeah."

"So can you…can you say the thing?"

Leo turns to Jed. "Can I say the thing?"

"Yeah. You know, could you tell her the thing that she told you."

"Feels like maybe you're not so comfortable with this conversation."

"That's not true. I can absolutely do this." He sits up straighter and looks at Leo. "Leo, can you tell Annabeth that you love her?"

"I think I call Abbey. Because I am sort of willing the plane into the ground right now."

"No! We are doing this! We've had wars and assassination attempts and deaths and…we can handle this conversation."

"Okay."

They return to staring straight ahead.

"So, can you tell her you love her?"

"Yes. I could do that."

"And mean it, Leo?"

"Yes."

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that I am twenty years older than she is, Jed. I don't exactly have a stellar track record with relationships, and either I have always been comfortable testing the boundaries of ethical behavior, or my professional life has gotten me there. I'm a recovering addict, and my hobbies include sarcastic indifference and raining on parades. You think I should be within shouting distance of Annabeth Schott? I'm not even sure how I got here and now…"

"You think any of that is news to Annabeth?"

Leo is caught short. "What?"

"Do you think Annabeth is naïve or obtuse?"

"No, of course not."

"So then she knows all that and has made her decision about you."

"Doesn't mean I should let her."

"Happiness isn't for other people, Leo. You're allowed to be happy."

"At whose expense? I tell Annabeth I love her and we're together and then what? She wants kids? I become a father? At my age?"

"Does she want kids?"

"I don't know."

"Leo, it's not like your Methuselah. You're 58. Plenty of guys…"

"I don't want to be those guys."

"Okay."

"And what if I have another heart attack, Jed? Only this time I don't come back. She's alone. I stick around and I lose her because she realizes I'm pretty miserable. Or, I stick around and I lose her because she realizes a younger guy could make her happier and give her a family. Or I don't stick around. I drop dead and then she's alone and I've done that to her when I could have let her find real happiness somewhere else."

Jed nods. "That's a lot of reasons."

"Yeah."

"Total bullshit reasons, but reasons."

Leo looks at him.

"Remember when we used to play poker, Leo? My first term – you, me, Toby, Josh, C.J., Sam?"

"Yeah."

"52 cards. 2,598,960 possible combinations. Cards get dealt. You look at your hand. Two pair. Not bad." He looks over at Leo. "Looking even better if your opponent keeps checking to give you the free play. But, your hand...it's not a royal flush. What if some other guy at the table has that?"

Leo nods as Jed continues, "Odds of a royal flush? 4 out of 2,598,960. Lousy odds. So you bet, right? You bet on the solid likelihood that the guy next to you doesn't have a royal flush and that your two pair are gonna do the trick."

He looks right at Leo. "Everything you just mentioned is possible. But, you're telling me that you want to fold on the guarantee of current happiness against the chance of future unhappiness. You're a better poker player than that, Leo. You love her?"

"Yes."

"Then bet the house, Leo. You're lucky enough to find someone to love, you bet the house."


	32. Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo has second thoughts.

Next day – Leo calls Annabeth while she's at work

"Leo – you're back!"

"Yeah, late last night. Dinner tonight?"

Annabeth smiles into the phone. "I thought you'd never ask. What time should I come over?"

"I made reservations for 7."

"Reservations? Chez Leo's getting popular."

"I'll pick you up at 6:30."

Annabeth looks at the stack of papers on her desk. "I'm going to be here until then. Easier for me to meet you."

"That works. Maydan. 7 o'clock"

Leo arrives at Maydan at 7. He's approached by the maître d' who indicates Annabeth already seated at the table. Leo smiles just looking at Annabeth, but before he can start to head towards her he sees a guy walk over to the table. Annabeth stands up and hugs him. He's Annabeth's age, good looking guy. They talk for a second, and Annabeth laughs. The guy lights up, like making Annabeth laugh just made his year. They exchange a few more words and the guy indicates the group he is with. Annabeth shakes her head, obviously turning down his invitation to join him and and his friends. She sits back down as he returns to his table.

Leo walks to their table.

Annabeth sees Leo coming and with a huge smile, starts to stand up. "Leo!"

Leo leans over and kisses her on the cheek. "Hey you"

"I couldn't wait to be done with everything today. God, I missed you." She reaches for his hand across the table.

"Me too." He squeezes her hand, but lets go quickly.

Annabeth is excitedly conspiratorial. "I told Donna where we were going tonight and she was amazed. I didn't know this place was like the place to be right now."

"I've heard good things."

Annabeth's eyebrows knit for a quick second as she notes Leo's muted response, but she moves on. "How was the last day of the conference? Was Jed's speech well received?"

"Yeah. I think so. A lot of good meetings during the whole thing. We'll need to be in London next month for some follow-up. Good momentum; great group of people. I think we've really pulled together a good team."

"That's great. Jed feels good?"

"Yeah. He does."

"Will you be gone over your birthday?"

"In London? No. We'll leave a few days after."

Annabeth smiles. "That's good. I was thinking we'd have a party and I'd do a whole Marilyn Monroe thing. You know, the dress and the breathy "Happy birthday" song…"

Leo looks around distractedly, "Didn't she die shortly after that?"

Annabeth tries to catch Leo's eye, a little surprised, and aware that something isn't right. "Yeah. I wasn't thinking I'd carry the performance that far."

"Right."

The waiter comes over to check in. He starts to tell them about the menu and Leo interrupts him. "I'm sorry. I just need…could you give us a minute?"

The waiter walks away and Leo turns back to Annabeth. "The jet lag is catching up with me. I was feeling okay, but now that I'm sitting here. I'm just…do you mind if we...?"

"Of course. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just the trip and all the meetings and then the flight. It's just hitting me now. I'm really sorry."

"Leo. It's fine. Let's get outta here."

They gather up their stuff and head out to the sidewalk. Leo's car is waiting for them down the block. They start to walk towards it.

Leo gestures towards the car. "I can drop you at yours…"

"Oh. You don't want me to...?"

"No, I do. It's just. I'm not sure I'd be great company and maybe I should just get some sleep."

"Of course. Yeah."

They keep walking. Annabeth stops. "It's beautiful out. I'm gonna walk to mine."

"No, let me give you a ride..."

She kisses him on the cheek. "I like walking."

Leo watches her walk away. He gets in the car and bangs his head repeatedly against the head rest. "Dammit!"


	33. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Annabeth's beginning and ending.

Next morning (Saturday)

Annabeth is just waking up and the doorbell rings. Wearing underwear and a t-shirt, she looks out the peephole and sees Leo. She lets him in.

"Hey." He looks at her clothes. "Did I wake you?"

"No. I'd just gotten up."

Leo follows her into the kitchen. He looks around. "It's weird, but I've actually never been inside your place."

Annabeth laughs. "Not weird. An entire security detail would have been hard to fit in here. And your place is nicer."

"Yeah, but it's been ten months since…since we got together. Seems like I would have been here before."

"Feel free to take the tour. I'm gonna make coffee. I'd offer you breakfast, but there is none."

"Coffee's fine."

He walks around her apartment, stopping to look at pictures. He glances into her bedroom and Annabeth comes into the hallway as he closes the door. "That's not a good sign."

"What?"

"Closing the door to my bedroom. If this were an Evelyn Waugh novel, there'd be all sorts of metaphorical implications."

"If this were an Evelyn Waugh novel, we'd both be men."

Annabeth hands him a cup of coffee."Maybe we should pretend we are so that you'll actually start talking to me."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you need to talk to a woman about your relationship with her and you're not sure how to do it." Annabeth walks into her living room and sits down. "Leo. If you're leaving me, please just do it quickly."

"I don't want to leave you." He looks at her.

"I'm not going to make this easier for you, Leo. Don't look at me like I should say something."

"When I went to meet you for dinner last night...I walked in and you were talking to this guy."

"John? Please tell me this is not about John Steffens. He's a guy I've met three times. He works for Congressman Phillips."

"No. It's not about him – or, it's not about him and you. It's just that I walked in and I saw you with him and he's your age, Annabeth. He's your age and he's obviously interested in you, which any male human would be because you're..." 

He looks at her. “Because you're perfect. And whether it's him or some other guy your age…they could give you a life I can't. Everything would be new and you'd be doing everything for the first time together and maybe you'd have kids and nobody would wonder whose grandfather was picking the kid up from school. And it's not just the age thing, Annabeth. It's that I'm not anybody's idea of a catch. I'm a divorced recovering addict whose only interest has been the accumulation of power. I don't remember to buy flowers. I forget anniversaries. The natural resting position for my face is a scowl."

"It's a smirk."

"The last ten months have been…I haven't deserved them, Annabeth." He sits down across from her. "I've thought so much about this since you told me you loved me. And when I invited you to dinner last night, I'd talked to Jed on the plane, and I was planning…but, then I saw you. And I can't be the guy that takes your chances away from you."

"But, that's exactly what you're doing. You are taking away my chance with you. Do you honestly believe that it has not occurred to me that a life with you would look different than some other life? But, when is that not the case, Leo? Every decision we make involves not choosing some other thing."

"You can't know what you are giving up."

"I'm not giving up happiness. Or love. Or anything else that actually matters. You think I care at all about the rest of it? Nothing you've just said is news to me, and I love you. Not in spite of it. Because of it. It is all a part of who you are. If you want to leave me, that's fine. But you are not going to justify it by acting like you are doing me a favor."

"I don't want to leave you. Jesus, Annabeth, all I want to do is be with you. It's…it's like breathing for me at this point. Being with you is like breathing."

Annabeth smiles. "I've heard that somewhere before.”

Leo looks at her questioningly, but she ignores him and continues. "You want to be with me and I want to be with you. When did this get so complicated?"

"Maybe somewhere between Josh Lyman walking in on us on Election Night, the sudden death of my ex-wife and my resulting crisis of conscience, resigning the Vice Presidency, punching the President of the United States in the face and your astounding declaration that you love me?”

"Yeah. It's not so much an Evelyn Waugh novel as several seasons of Dallas. I know what I want, Leo. What do you want?"

"You."

"You have me."

Leo gets up from his chair. "I'm terrified, Annabeth. With the exception of Mallory, I've never had anything in my life I couldn't lose."

Annabeth stands up, takes his face in her hands and kisses him.

Leo rests his forehead against hers. "I love you. I think I've always been in love with you."

"Remember what Katharine Hepburn says to Bogey in African Queen? 'Don't be worried, Mr. Allnut…"

In a terrible Bogey imitation, Leo answers, "Oh, I ain't worried, Miss. Gave myself up for dead back where we started."

Annabeth laughs. "Exactly."


End file.
